<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" version="2.0"><channel><title>News and articles UOJ</title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/</link><description>Articles and news about Orthodoxy, UOC and Christianity</description><language>en</language><lastBuildDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:36:12 +0300</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://spzh.eu/en/rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><item><title><![CDATA[At the Sviatohirsk Lavra, two residents were tonsured into the Great Schema]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93720-at-the-sviatohirsk-lavra-two-residents-were-tonsured-into-the-great-schema</link><description><![CDATA[By the blessing of Metropolitan Arseny, the tonsure was performed privately: for two of the monastery's eldest residents, aged 89 and 82.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 19:48:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 12, 2026, at the Svyatogorsk Lavra, by the blessing of the abbot Metropolitan Arsenios of Svyatogorsk (Yakovenko), the tonsure into the Great Schema was performed for two of the monastery's eldest residents. This was reported by the press service of Svyatogorsk Lavra.
The tonsure was performed privately – in seclusion, without a solemn liturgical service. Monk Simeon (Belous) received the tonsure with the name Simeon in honor of Saint Simeon Stylites of Divnogorye, and monk Pachomios (Tishchenko) – with the name Anthony in honor of Saint Anthony the Great. Both elders worked at enterprises in Donbass in their mature years, and came to monasticism in their declining years: schema-monk Simeon entered the monastery on January 1, 1994, in the first years after its revival, schema-monk Anthony – in August 2018, at the age of 74.
Schema-monk Simeon, in the world Anatoly Ivanovich Belous, was born on June 6, 1937, in Vinnytsia region. For more than thirty years he carried out the obedience of a cobbler in the monastery. This spring the elder suffered a serious illness, which became the reason for the private performance of the tonsure. It is noteworthy that the memory of his new heavenly patron – Saint Simeon of Divnogorye – is celebrated by the Church on June 6, on the schema-monk's birthday. Schema-monk Anthony, in the world Pyotr Yakovlevich Tishchenko, a native of the same region, is in his 83rd year.
Block - on the topic (Armor of the Invisible: why the Great Schema is the highest freedom)
The Great Schema is the highest degree of monastic endeavor, an image of complete renunciation of the world for the sake of union with Christ. According to the tradition established in the monasteries of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), the brotherhood who have reached spiritual maturity, as well as the eldest and infirm residents, are tonsured into the schema.
Earlier, the Union of Orthodox Journalists wrote that new monks were tonsured at Molchensk Monastery in Putivl.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93720-at-the-sviatohirsk-lavra-two-residents-were-tonsured-into-the-great-schema</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Phanar head mentions Dumenko at Liturgy with Patriarchs of Bulgaria and Romania]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93719-the-head-of-the-phanar-commemorated-dumenko-at-the-liturgy-with-the-patriarchs-of-bulgaria-and-romania</link><description><![CDATA[The Bulgarian and Romanian Churches have not made decisions to recognize the OCU.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:24:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 11, 2026, the head of the Constantinople Patriarchate, Patriarch Bartholomew, led the Liturgy on the feast day of his heavenly patron at St. George's Church in his native village of Agio-Theodori on the Turkish island of Imbros. Concelebrating with him at the service were the Primate of the Bulgarian Church, Patriarch Daniil, and the Primate of the Romanian Church, Patriarch Daniel.
During the service, Patriarch Bartholomew commemorated OCU leader Epifaniy Dumenko at the Great Entrance in the list of heads of the autocephalous Churches. The commemoration of the OCU leader took place despite the lack of recognition of the structure by the Bulgarian and Romanian Churches.
As the UOJ reported, Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus commemorated Dumenko at a liturgy in Romania.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93719-the-head-of-the-phanar-commemorated-dumenko-at-the-liturgy-with-the-patriarchs-of-bulgaria-and-romania</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[TRC abducts rector of UOC Dormition Church in Kyiv]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93718-in-kyiv-the-tcc-kidnapped-the-rector-of-the-uoc-dormition-church</link><description><![CDATA[TRC employees detained Father Oleksandr Drobiazko because of his affiliation with the UOC.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:52:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 4, 2026, TRC staff abducted the rector of the UOC Dormition Church in Kyiv, Father Oleksands Drobiazko. The clergyman was taken right outside the church, reports kozakTv1. TRC workers asked the cleric about his denomination and, after he answered that he belonged to the UOC, carried out an unlawful detention.
The priest was taken to a police station, where he was handcuffed. In that condition, Father Alexander was brought before a military medical commission and declared fit for service. The rector is currently being held at a training unit in the Chernihiv region.
Military recruitment officers have repeatedly emphasized that the reason for their actions was precisely the detainee’s religious affiliation. The priest refuses to violate his priestly vows and to sign any documents.
Блок - по темі (Military recruitment officers detain UOC priest in Khmelnytskyi Eparchy)
As the UOJ reported, the TCC detained a UOC priest in the Khmelnytskyi region.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93718-in-kyiv-the-tcc-kidnapped-the-rector-of-the-uoc-dormition-church</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[UCCRO members discuss changes to tax legislation with Ministry of Finance]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93716-members-of-the-auccro-discussed-changes-to-tax-legislation-with-the-ministry-of-finance</link><description><![CDATA[Spokespersons for the religious denominations raised the issue of funding for the restoration of facilities damaged during the hostilities.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:53:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 10, 2026, members of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations UCCRO) held a meeting with Deputy Finance Minister Svitlana Vorobey and the leadership of the State Tax Service. The participants in the dialogue analyzed a draft of amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine, which is intended to bring the legislation into line with the law on the regulation of legal entities adopted in January 2025.
During the discussion, representatives of religious associations focused on protecting their tax status. The parties discussed the impact of the proposed amendments on the non-profit status of communities and their social institutions.
The dialogue was attended by OCU spokesperson Eustratiy Zoria, representatives of the UGCC, Roman Catholics, and leaders of Protestant denominations. The religious figures obtained a promise from the Ministry of Finance to continue consultations on the text of the draft law.
Блок - по темі (Financing churches with Ukrainians' taxes – what are the prospects?)
A separate item on the agenda was the restoration of church buildings damaged during the fighting. Representatives of the denominations asked officials to provide mechanisms of financial support for repairing their facilities. The authorities and the Council of Churches agreed to create a permanent communication channel to coordinate tax initiatives.
As the UOJ reported, UCCRO members visited the Ambassador of Israel at the synagogue.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93716-members-of-the-auccro-discussed-changes-to-tax-legislation-with-the-ministry-of-finance</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[In OCU, deacon's documents “sold” to security guard to evade mobilization]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93715-in-the-ocu-the-rank-of-deacon-was-sold-to-a-security-guard-to-evade-mobilization</link><description><![CDATA[The Kalush court sentenced a native of the Lviv region who, for a bribe, obtained OCU cleric documents.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:13:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 9, 2026, the Kalush court of Ivano-Frankivsk region sentenced “deacon” of the OCU, Taras Pavlyshak-Leitnar, to probation. The former security guard from Stare Selo admitted that, through an intermediary, he bought church documents to avoid mobilization into the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reports Zaxid.net.
According to the case materials, Pavlyshak-Leitnar paid a bribe of 1,000 US dollars to obtain a deacon’s ID and an ordination certificate. These papers allegedly confirmed his belonging to the clergy of the Uzhhorod-Khust Diocese of the OCU.
Notably, the “clergyman” is still listed as a deacon on the official website of the Holy Cross Exaltation Monastery near Uzhhorod, and the date of his “ordination” was given as April 29, 2024.

After obtaining the fake rank, the “cleric” decided to make money from the scheme. In May 2024, he agreed with another man liable for military service to arrange a similar package of documents for 2,000 dollars, planning to keep half the amount for himself as compensation.
Блок - по темі (Khust Eparchy suspends hieromonk who joined OCU from ministry)
The court found the man guilty and sentenced him to five years of imprisonment, but replaced the real punishment with two years of probation after the defendant repented and transferred 150,000 hryvnias to the army needs.
As the UOJ reported, an OCU “bishop” entered draft evaders among the diocese’s “clergy” for money.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93715-in-the-ocu-the-rank-of-deacon-was-sold-to-a-security-guard-to-evade-mobilization</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Unknown assailants rob ancient ROC church in Tehran]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93714-unknown-assailants-robbed-an-ancient-roc-church-in-tehran</link><description><![CDATA[The perpetrators stole sacred items from the only Orthodox cathedral in Iran’s capital.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:07:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 10, 2026, criminals robbed the St. Nicholas Church of the Russian Orthodox Church in Tehran. The Russian Embassy in Iran reported that revered icons were taken from the building. The diplomats expressed deep bewilderment and sorrow over the act of sacrilege, noting that they did not expect to encounter people in the country capable of such an offense against the faith.
The cathedral that was attacked is the oldest on the territory of Iran and the only Orthodox church in Tehran. Over the decades of its history, it survived World War II and the Iran-Iraq conflict. In addition, the building remained unharmed even during bombings by the United States and Israel, yet now the shrine has suffered at the hands of ordinary robbers.
Russian diplomats officially appealed to the criminals to return the icons to the church. “We ask those who have gone astray and committed this sacrilege not to burden their souls with sin,” the embassy emphasized. Representatives of the mission also expressed hope that the Lord would forgive those who had stumbled if they corrected what they had done.
Блок - по темі (Russian Intelligence accuses EU of “malicious attack” on ROC in Armenia)
As the UOJ reported, an unknown man vandalized the ROCOR cathedral in Geneva.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93714-unknown-assailants-robbed-an-ancient-roc-church-in-tehran</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Roman Catholic priest spat on and insulted in Jerusalem]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93713-in-jerusalem-jews-spat-on-and-insulted-a-roman-catholic-priest</link><description><![CDATA[Jerusalem police tried to dissuade the victim from filing an official complaint about the attack.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:46:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 10, 2026, in Jerusalem, a group of Jewish radicals attacked a Catholic priest, Fr Firas Abedrabbo. The incident took place in the Old City as the cleric was leaving a restaurant near Damascus Gate after lunch with his human rights activist friends. This was reported by Persecuted Church Alerts.
Three young men from among religious Jews spat on the priest for several minutes, shouted insults at him, and used obscene gestures. The harassment continued for several minutes before his companions came outside and confronted the youths.
Despite the complaint that was filed, police made no arrests; moreover, law enforcement officers tried to dissuade the victim from filing an official statement.
Блок - по темі (In Israel, 155 attacks on Christians recorded over year, 2025 report says)
Since the beginning of 2026, 88 cases of persecution of Christians have already been recorded in Israel, 63 of them in the last three months. Among the documented incidents are not only spitting and verbal abuse, but also vandalism, grave desecration, and arson attacks on Christian sites.
While Israeli authorities describe such actions as “isolated acts by a minority,” Jerusalem’s Christian clergy emphasize that the abuse has become an “everyday occurrence.” Lawyers point to a systemic atmosphere of impunity: over a decade, of 25 complaints filed over attacks, 19 were closed by police without criminal proceedings being opened.
As the UOJ reported, Israeli settlers set fire to Christian homes in the ancient town of Taybeh.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93713-in-jerusalem-jews-spat-on-and-insulted-a-roman-catholic-priest</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Epifaniy became a successor of the "occupier"]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/mysli-vsluh/93712-how-epiphanius-became-the-successor-of-the-occupier</link><description><![CDATA[From the OCU's perspective, Bishop Ioann was the living embodiment of the very “spiritual occupation” of Ukraine and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra that they now claim to be heroically fighting against.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:23:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Thoughts Aloud</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Epifaniy Dumenko continues to sort through the stolen "inheritance" he acquired after Filaret's death. While conducting another "service" at the Lavra, he wore a panagia that belonged to the ROC exarch Metropolitan Ioann (Sokolov).
The OCU spokesman Zoria views this as a symbol of "succession". In other words, Dumenko is supposedly the rightful head of the Lavra because he possesses the panagia of one of the monastery's canonical sacred archimandrites.
That would all be well and good, were it not for one inconsistency. For years, the OCU has advanced the claim that the entire history of Orthodoxy in the Ukrainian lands after 1686, when Constantinople gave the Kyiv Metropolis to Moscow, is a period of “spiritual occupation.”
In early 2023, when the OCU was first allowed into the Lavra, it published a policy statement with a clear thesis: the OCU is the successor to the Kyiv Metropolis of Constantinople, while the UOC represents the “Moscow” period. The authors of the statement even went so far as to divide the saints of the Kyiv Caves Lavra into categories: of the 120 venerable fathers, 100 were declared “right”, that is, of the “Constantinople” period, while the remaining 20 were labeled products of the “occupation.”
Now let's return to the personality of the exarch whose panagia Dumenko wore. He was born in the Moscow region and lived and served in various dioceses across Russia until he was nearly seventy years old. After being assigned to Kyiv in 1944, he was, according to the Russian Orthodox Church, “the only bishop of Patriarchal allegiance in all of Ukraine.” According to Wikipedia, Soviet authorities used the Exarch to oversee the subordination of Orthodox ecclesiastical life in Ukraine to the Moscow Patriarchate. The Metropolitan also played a coordinating role in the liquidation of the Uniate Church and its absorption into the Russian Orthodox Church.
In other words, in the OCU's view, Bishop Ioann was the living embodiment of that very "spiritual occupation" of Ukraine and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra that they so heroically fight against today.
And today they present Epifaniy as the successor of such an "occupier." Don't ask how this is possible. It seems the answer is simple: Serhii Dumenko found a beautiful panagia among Filaret's belongings, and they retroactively invented a concept to fit it.
Yesterday it was occupation, today it is succession. Yesterday an enemy, today a predecessor. There is no logic here, nor was one intended.
Zoria assumes that OCU supporters will not notice these contradictions. And, as experience suggests, that assumption is correct.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/mysli-vsluh/93712-how-epiphanius-became-the-successor-of-the-occupier</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Financing churches with Ukrainians' taxes – what are the prospects?]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/zashhita-very/93708-financing-of-confessions-from-ukrainian-taxpayers-money-what-are-the-prospects</link><description><![CDATA[An MP has proposed introducing a church tax in Ukraine. How do similar systems work in Europe, and what consequences could they have in our country? Let us take a closer look.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:16:00 +0300</pubDate><category>Faith Protection</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukrainian MP Mykyta Poturaev, known for his antipathy toward the UOC, has proposed financing religious organizations through tax mechanisms.
“The idea is to allow Ukrainian citizens to support, through their taxes, those religious organizations they consider worthy. This is a model that is widely used across Europe,” Poturaev stated.
The idea sounds attractive. Give citizens the right to direct part of their taxes to religious organizations they support. Yet behind the appealing rhetoric lies a question that is far more important than the mechanism itself: who will decide which churches deserve public money?
In stable democracies, church-financing systems emerged over centuries and function within robust legal frameworks. In Ukraine, however, such a model is being proposed at a time when one religious community faces lawsuits, administrative pressure, hostile media campaigns, and attempts to curtail its activity. Under these circumstances, the initiative could become not a tool of religious freedom but another instrument of political influence.
European models of church financing
These models generally fall into four categories:

A church tax for members of specific religious communities;
Taxpayers choose a recipient from a state-approved list;
Direct budgetary support for clergy;
No tax-based financing mechanism.

1. Church tax or contribution for members of specific religious communities
The best-known example is Germany. There, the church tax, Kirchensteuer, is paid not by all citizens but only by members of officially recognized religious organizations. In most federal states, the rate amounts to 9% of the assessed income tax.
With an average annual gross salary of around €53.8 thousand, this amounts to approximately €640–900 per year.
Block - on topic (Former Constitutional Court judge: When we go to OCU, we finance Patriarch Bartholomew)
The financing scheme works as follows: a person officially declares to both the employer and government authorities his or her affiliation with a particular denomination. The employer withholds the church tax together with income tax. Tax authorities collect the funds and transfer them to the corresponding religious organization, retaining an administrative fee.
It is important to understand that the taxpayer cannot designate a specific parish or monastery. The funds go to the religious organization as a whole, which then distributes them according to its own internal rules.
Interestingly, the Local Orthodox Churches registered in Germany generally rely on donations rather than collecting church tax from their faithful, even though they are entitled to do so.
The main reason is the absence of a tradition of rigid formal membership and the financial and other obligations associated with it.
Similar systems exist in Austria, Denmark, Sweden, and other countries.
Finland also belongs to this group, but with one notable distinction: believers register not as members of a denomination but as members of a specific parish, which then receives their church tax.
2. Taxpayers choose a recipient from a state-approved list
In this model, the church tax is not an additional levy on top of income tax. Instead, it is a percentage of the income tax itself that the taxpayer may allocate to a religious organization.
For example, Italy operates the otto per mille system – “eight per thousand,” or 0.8% of income tax. In absolute terms, this amounts to only several dozen euros per person, but collectively it generates millions of euros, most of which go to the Catholic Church.
If a taxpayer indicates which religious organization should receive the funds, that organization receives them. If no choice is made, the money is distributed proportionally according to the preferences of those who did make a selection.
Spain has a similar model, though with its own characteristics. Taxpayers may direct 0.7% of their income tax either to the Catholic Church or to social causes. They may choose both options or neither. However, they have no influence over the specific allocation of the funds. Distribution is handled either by the Catholic Church or by the state. Comparable allocation models operate in Hungary and Romania.
3. Direct budgetary support for clergy
The clearest example is Greece. The state directly finances the Church of Greece from the national budget, including the payment of clergy salaries. For example, approximately €200 million was spent for this purpose in 2023.
Under this model, taxpayers have no influence whatsoever over the allocation of their taxes. They simply pay mandatory taxes into the state budget.
A similar system exists in Belgium, where the state finances officially recognized religions. Norway also follows a comparable approach, with the Lutheran Church of Norway receiving the bulk of funding, while registered religious and philosophical communities may apply for state grants.
4. No tax-based financing mechanism
France, the Netherlands, and a number of other countries do not have a church tax or any other mechanism for regular tax-based financing of religious organizations. Religious communities are supported primarily through donations, the use of their own property, internal collections, and similar means. At the same time, the state or municipalities may provide funding for social projects, the restoration of historic buildings, and related activities.
None of these models is perfect. Even in Europe, their substantial shortcomings are openly acknowledged.
Drawbacks of state financing for religious organizations
Formalization of religious affiliation
Faith becomes a tax status.
A person cannot remain a believer while refusing to pay the church tax. For example, the Catholic Church in Germany explicitly states that one cannot leave only the “church corporation” while retaining full membership in the Church’s “spiritual community.” In practice, the message becomes something like: either pay, or you are no longer Catholic.
Block - on topic (Each OCU parish must pay the Phanar from €4000, - Metropolitan Anthony)
This may be one of the reasons why more than 300,000 Catholics officially leave the Church in Germany every year.
The other side of this phenomenon is that many people who pay the church tax begin to regard participation in worship and parish life as unnecessary.
Dependence on state structures: “He who pays the piper calls the tune”
Perhaps the greatest danger lies elsewhere.
A church that depends on the state for its financial survival inevitably becomes vulnerable to state pressure.
The principle is simple: whoever pays expects influence. Churches that rely heavily on government resources often find it difficult to challenge prevailing political agendas. Across Europe, many Christian communities have faced pressure to adapt to social and ideological trends that they previously opposed on doctrinal grounds.
Thus, Churches are compelled either to remain silent or to declare that Holy Scripture is outdated and adjust its norms accordingly.
Financial support rarely comes without expectations.
Sooner or later, those who control the money begin to influence the message.
Discrimination against unregistered religious organizations
In many European countries, registration procedures for religious organizations are cumbersome and highly bureaucratic. Religious groups are often denied registration for unclear reasons. In some countries, obtaining funding requires not only registration but also the conclusion of separate agreements with the state.
As a result, only a limited number of churches receive funding, creating risks of discrimination. Even the European Court of Human Rights has pointed to this problem. Even the European Court of Human Rights has pointed to this problem.
Lack of transparency in the distribution of funds
Transparency presents yet another challenge. Large sums of public money inevitably raise questions about who controls distribution, who benefits, and how decisions are made.
There is also the issue of corruption. Whenever budget money enters the picture, so do questions about influence, lobbying, and personal interests.
Who will determine eligibility?
Who will oversee distribution?
Who will audit expenditures?
Who will decide which projects deserve funding and which do not?
Given Ukraine's long struggle with corruption, these questions cannot simply be brushed aside. A mechanism presented as support for religious freedom could easily become another channel for political favoritism and financial abuse.
What would this imply for Ukraine?
Let us now return to Poturaev’s proposal. This is where the European experience ceases to be reassuring.
In Ukrainian realities, such a model would inevitably become fertile ground for abuse. And here is why.
First, the fundamental question is not whether church taxes can work in principle. The question is whether they can work fairly in today's Ukraine.
Who would determine which religious organizations qualify for state-supported funding?
Not believers, but government officials, who have clearly demonstrated that they distinguish between "acceptable" and "unacceptable" churches.
Indeed, Poturaev effectively said as much himself when he stated that funding would go to the “necessary” churches, specifically naming the OCU and the UGCC.
Second, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – still the country's largest religious denomination – would almost certainly find itself excluded. The State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience has already declared the UOC affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church and initiated legal proceedings seeking its prohibition.
Third,

financial incentives could be used to encourage transfers from one religious jurisdiction to another. Ukraine has already witnessed disputed re-registrations of communities, controversial parish meetings, and violent church seizures. Adding financial benefits to this environment would likely intensify conflict rather than reduce it.

Fourth, any church-tax system requires citizens to identify their religious affiliation. In practice, this would create official databases showing exactly which church every participating taxpayer supports. In a country where religious divisions are already politically charged, such information could easily become a tool of pressure.
Fifth, such a system would create vast opportunities for corruption. The fact that funds would be distributed according to the internal decisions of church structures would, in Ukrainian conditions, likely result in kickbacks, abuses, and other forms of “budget appropriation.”
Sixth, churches would become heavily dependent on the state. And Ukraine's authorities have already shown a willingness to intervene in church affairs.
If religious organizations become financially dependent on government decisions, the temptation to demand political compliance will only grow stronger. For example, Viktor Yelensky has already expressed confidence that the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations will respond with understanding to the need to introduce an LGBT agenda in Ukraine.
Conclusion
European church-financing systems emerged through centuries of church-state relations and function within mature democratic institutions protected by independent courts and strong guarantees of religious liberty.
Ukraine's circumstances are entirely different.
The proposal comes amid an ongoing religious conflict, legal pressure against the country's largest confession, growing state involvement in ecclesiastical affairs, and a political culture where expediency too often prevails over principles.
Under such conditions, a church tax would be unlikely to strengthen religious freedom.
Far more likely, it would deepen divisions, increase state control over religious life, and provide new opportunities for corruption.
The real danger is not that Ukrainians might support churches through their taxes.
The real danger is that the state may decide which churches deserve that support – and which churches do not.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/zashhita-very/93708-financing-of-confessions-from-ukrainian-taxpayers-money-what-are-the-prospects</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA["We pray to one God," RCC cleric hosts space in church for Muslims]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93711-we-pray-to-one-god-a-roman-catholic-cleric-has-set-aside-space-in-a-church-for-muslims</link><description><![CDATA[The Archdiocese of Milan has called Catholic parishes “laboratories of interreligious encounter”.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:47:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 8, 2026, Father Giovanni Salatino, parish priest of San Giovanni Bosco in the Baggio district of Milan, Italy, officially allocated a special area within the community for performing Islamic prayers. The cleric justified the initiative with documents from the Second Vatican Council and principles of inclusivity, reports the Life Site News.
"We pray to one God, albeit within different religious traditions," said priest Salatino. "Recognizing the other’s identity is in the spirit of the Gospel." The pastor emphasized that he sees no contradiction in supporting people of other faiths within the Catholic community.
"I am fortunate to have some older youth leaders who are Muslim; they will therefore be the ones to lead the prayer with the boys," the cleric shared. "It is always better to help young people to pray."
Блок - по темі (Pope says Christian–Muslim communion unfolds under protection of Theotokos)
Salatino also expressed hope for the use of Islamic terminology within the walls of the parish. "I imagine the prayer could conclude with the Islamic formula Bismillah, which invokes the name of God, the compassionate and merciful," the pastor stated. In his view, the Muslims at the camp will follow general reflections on the values of the life of Saint Francis alongside the other participants.
The Archdiocese of Milan supported the priest's actions and published a document on the reform of the oratory system. The Roman Catholic Church authorities defined the parish as a "laboratory of interreligious encounters," open to moments of non-Christian prayer.
According to the document, “welcoming everyone, driven by humanitarian and social reasons” is not a dilution of Christian identity, but “to live out the dynamic of the Incarnation, in which God does not suppress diversity, but assumes it.” The San Giovanni Bosco parish initiative is a self-declared practical application of that diocesan document.
As the UOJ reported, the Pope called on Christians and Muslims to jointly "regenerate humanity."]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93711-we-pray-to-one-god-a-roman-catholic-cleric-has-set-aside-space-in-a-church-for-muslims</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[In Korostyshiv, UOC priest given award for his fallen soldier son]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93709-in-korostyshev-a-uoc-priest-was-given-an-award-for-his-fallen-soldier-son</link><description><![CDATA[A cleric of the Zhytomyr Eparchy and his wife were presented with the 'Honorary Citizen of the City' distinction, posthumously awarded to their son.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:17:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[A ceremony honoring defenders who gave their lives in the war took place in the city of Korostyshiv, Zhytomyr region. A cleric of the Korostyshiv Deanery, Archpriest Valery Ditkovsky, and his wife Matushka Maria accepted the award conferring upon their son the title "Honorary Citizen of the Korostyshiv City Territorial Community" (posthumously). This was reported by the UOC Information and Educational Department.
The son of the UOC clergyman, Senior Soldier of the National Guard of Ukraine Veniamin Ditkovsky, was killed at the front while defending his Homeland. The presentation of the award to his parents was timed to coincide with Heroes' Remembrance Day, which is held annually in the city to commemorate the feat of fallen soldiers.
The Zhytomyr Eparchy expressed sincere condolences to the family of Father Valery and called on all believers to offer prayers for the repose of the fallen soldier Veniamin.
Блок - по темі (Priest after receiving order for his fallen soldier son: it is very hard
As the UOJ previously reported, a UOC priest in the Rivne region was awarded an order for his son killed in the war.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93709-in-korostyshev-a-uoc-priest-was-given-an-award-for-his-fallen-soldier-son</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ex-CC judge: When we attend OCU churches, we finance Patriarch Bartholomew]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93702-ex-cc-judge-when-we-attend-ocu-churches-we-finance-patriarch-bartholomew</link><description><![CDATA[Shyshkin claims that the UOC finances Moscow, while the OCU finances Patriarch Bartholomew.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:37:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Retired Constitutional Court judge Viktor Shyshkin explained his view of how church hierarchy functions in the Ukrainian context. According to him, parishioners of any Orthodox church ultimately support the higher ecclesiastical authority to which that church is subordinate.
Блок - по темі (Each OCU parish must pay the Phanar from €4000, – Metropolitan Anthony)
“One simply needs to understand how church hierarchy works: all local churches pass part of their donations to the higher hierarchy. When we attend the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, we finance the Patriarch of Constantinople because the OCU is subordinate to him,” Shyshkin said during the Government Purge program.
The former judge drew a direct parallel with UOC parishes:
“Similarly, if the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine is subordinate to Moscow, then of course they transfer money there. In exactly the same way that Catholic churches send money to the Pope, because they belong to the Catholic Church. What is so difficult to understand here? It is elementary logic.”
According to Shyshkin, parishioners should know under which patriarchate their church falls, since Orthodox churches cannot exist outside a patriarchate.
“If a church is outside a patriarchate, it is not a church,” he asserted.
As previously reported by the UOJ, according to Shostatsky, the UOC does not send money to Moscow.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93702-ex-cc-judge-when-we-attend-ocu-churches-we-finance-patriarch-bartholomew</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Metropolitan Arseniy moved to nighttime house arrest]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93707-metropolitan-arseniy-moved-to-nighttime-house-arrest</link><description><![CDATA[A court in Dnipro extended the preventive measure for the abbot of Sviatohirsk Lavra until August 11, allowing him to leave home from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:34:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 11, 2026, another hearing in the case of Metropolitan Arseniy, abbot of Sviatohirsk Lavra, was held at the Chechelivskyi District Court. This was reported by the Sviatohirsk Lavra's press service.
The court considered the issue of a further preventive measure due to the expiration of the previous one. Prosecutors requested that round-the-clock house arrest be extended for two months, while the defense insisted that it be replaced with nighttime house arrest. Metropolitan Arseniy and his lawyers took part in the hearing by video conference. Clergy and faithful of the UOC, as well as MP Viktoria Hryb, came to the courtroom to support the hierarch.
The defense’s main argument was the bishop’s health after heart surgery.
“The recommendations of cardiac surgeons state that during rehabilitation I need to go outside for fresh air. My physical activity is limited, yet it is necessary for restoring my health after the operation and almost two years of imprisonment,” Metropolitan Arseniy said.
The defense also noted that no violations of procedural obligations had been recorded on the hierarch’s part. Metropolitan Arseniy again stressed that he does not admit guilt.
“Life for the sake of the flock and the people of Ukraine is my only ‘guilt,’” he said.
Block - on topic (Court extended Metropolitan Arseniy's round-the-clock house arrest)
Judge Tetiana Bezruk ruled to extend the preventive measure for two months, until August 11, 2026, while replacing round-the-clock house arrest with nighttime house arrest. Under the ruling, which entered into force on the day it was issued, Metropolitan Arseniy must remain at the place of arrest from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.; at all other times, his movement is not restricted. The next hearing is scheduled for June 30 at 10:00 a.m.
As previously reported by the UOJ, the court released Metropolitan Arseniy to house arrest after almost two years in pre-trial detention. Soon afterward, he underwent heart surgery.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93707-metropolitan-arseniy-moved-to-nighttime-house-arrest</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stefanchuk promises LGBT people to consider their rights in new Civil Code]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93706-stefanchuk-promised-lgbt-members-to-consider-their-rights-in-the-new-civil-code</link><description><![CDATA[The Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada supported activists' demands to change the legal definition of family.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:09:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Representatives of LGBT organizations held a meeting with Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk. The parliamentary speaker confirmed the authorities’ readiness to integrate the community’s demands into legislation in order to ensure equal rights, according to the Insight organization.
The participants discussed the draft of the new Civil Code and voiced concern over the document’s current content. During the dialogue, representatives of various LGBT organizations presented a list of necessary changes.
The activists demanded that the code exclude the provision stating that de facto family relations are a union exclusively between a man and a woman. They also insisted on integrating the concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity into the text of the document and legally recognizing same-sex partnerships concluded abroad.
Блок - по темі (Yelensky: Now churches oppose LGBT but will compromise for EU integration)
Ruslan Stefanchuk said he had already personally submitted two important amendments that correspond to the community’s requests. These concern restoring the current definition of family and removing the wording that defines a de facto union as cohabitation specifically between a man and a woman. The speaker expects deputies to support these changes in the second reading.
On the remaining points, the head of the Rada promised to hold additional consultations with MPs. Representatives of LGBT structures emphasized that unless all their demands are taken into account, the draft code is unlikely to receive their support.
As previously reported by the UOJ, Zelensky expressed support for LGBT people in Ukraine.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93706-stefanchuk-promised-lgbt-members-to-consider-their-rights-in-the-new-civil-code</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Israeli settlers set fire to Christian homes in ancient town of Taybeh]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93705-israeli-settlers-set-fire-to-homes-of-christians-in-the-ancient-city-of-taybeh</link><description><![CDATA[Armed radicals from illegal settlements carried out a large-scale attack in the Palestinian town.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:52:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[A group of Israeli settlers attacked the town of Taybeh using Molotov cocktails and firearms. The attackers set fire to agricultural land and residential homes and also attempted to blow up a local gas station, according to LifeSiteNews.
According to human rights activist Ihab Hassan, local residents are living in fear because “the settlers opened fire on homes and civilians,” while flames surrounded the town.
Ancient Taybeh holds special significance for the Christian world, as it is identified with the biblical city of Ephraim, where the Lord Jesus Christ withdrew before His Passion, according to the Gospel of John (11:54).
Today, Taybeh is the last exclusively Christian town in the West Bank. Local clergy say the community is under a real “siege,” aimed at economically strangling believers and forcibly driving them from their land.
Блок - по темі (In Israel, 155 attacks on Christians recorded over year, 2025 report says)
As previously reported by the UOJ, ultra-Orthodox demonstrators blocked highways and railway tracks, demanding an end to the arrest of those refusing military service.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93705-israeli-settlers-set-fire-to-homes-of-christians-in-the-ancient-city-of-taybeh</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[The underground that outshone the empire's palace]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/istorija-i-kulytrua/93703-the-underground-that-outshone-the-empires-palace</link><description><![CDATA[The Roman catacombs were not damp burrows for fugitives, but an underground city of the first Christians – complete with ventilation, shafts of sunlight, and walls covered in frescoes.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:51:00 +0300</pubDate><category>History and Culture</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The pickaxe bites into the wall softly, almost as if into a wheel of dense cheese. The dull gray tuff yields easily, warm stone dust cascading from beneath the blade. A man wielding a dolabra – something between a pickaxe and an adze – works confidently and without haste, ten meters beneath the earth. His only light comes from an oil lamp flickering in a niche carved into the wall. The air, contrary to every expectation, is fresh. A faint current drifts down from somewhere above.
Tuff was ideal for precisely this kind of labor. Deep underground it remained soft and obedient; once exposed to air, it hardened and held its shape. It was within this forgiving volcanic stone that the first Christians carved out their subterranean Rome – a refuge that would serve them for generations during times of persecution.
Блок - по темі (How monks saved antiquity, grinding their teeth and quills)
The guild that buried its own with honor
The men who practiced this demanding craft were called fossors, from the Latin fodere – “to dig.”
It is important to understand that a fossor was neither a chained slave nor a mere gravedigger. He belonged to a respected guild of craftsmen whom the early Church counted among the lower clergy. He was at once an engineer, a surveyor, and often an artist.

The work was grueling and sacrificial. During summer months the deeper galleries trapped stale air. The earth exhaled the scent of decay, and each new level demanded more effort than the one before it.
Those who spent their lives breathing foul air in order to prepare resting places for others were themselves buried with honor. Their portraits were painted on the walls of the catacombs, often with the tools of their trade resting upon their shoulders. Thus the fossor Diogenes was immortalized in the Catacombs of Domitilla, carrying the very dolabra with which he had spent his life carving the city of the dead.

More than fifty catacomb complexes are known beneath Rome. Their corridors stretch for well over 150 kilometers, and some estimates place the total length even higher.

The galleries descended level after level, sometimes reaching five tiers and depths exceeding twenty meters. Everything was done by hand, with pickaxe and lamp.
How the fossors cut a path for the sun
The greatest engineering challenge was not digging the corridors themselves, but providing air and light.
Without ventilation, the deep galleries would have become death traps. The craftsmen solved the problem by cutting vertical shafts from the underground chambers directly to the surface. These shafts, known as luminaria, functioned like chimneys in reverse. They drew stale air upward and brought daylight into the depths.

An eyewitness left us a remarkable description of what this felt like.
Around the year 400, the Spanish poet Prudentius descended to the underground tomb of the martyr Hippolytus. Later he described the experience in verse. First came a steep spiral staircase disappearing into darkness, where daylight faded with every turn. Then the darkness deepened into what seemed like perpetual night.
And suddenly, high in the vault above, openings appeared at regular intervals. Through these cuts in the stone, brilliant shafts of sunlight pierced the hill itself and streamed into the depths.
Beneath the earth, Prudentius wrote, one could still behold the very sun that had already vanished from sight above.
A qualification is necessary here, lest we romanticize the story.
The broad light shafts and comfortable stairways appeared mostly in the fourth century, when persecution had receded and crowds of pilgrims descended underground on the feast days of the martyrs. The great luminaria of Rome’s catacombs were not hacked out in panic between police raids. They were built deliberately, patiently, in more peaceful times.
The emperor who could not stop looking over his shoulder
Above ground, three centuries earlier, the world looked very different.
In the 90s AD, Rome was ruled by Domitian, a man whom fear had driven nearly mad.
Terrified of assassination and trusting no one, the emperor ordered the porticoes where he walked to be lined with a highly polished stone called phengite. The surface gleamed like a mirror. Wherever he went, Domitian could watch everything happening behind him, as if gazing into a primitive rearview mirror.

Imagine the ruler of the ancient world strolling through his marble palace beneath the open sky, unable to take his eyes off the cold reflective stone because he fears, above all things, that someone may approach from behind.
And beneath him, in the darkness of the tuff where he himself would never have dared descend, a warm shaft of sunlight poured through a man-made opening and fell upon a wall painted with the image of the Good Shepherd carrying a sheep upon His shoulders.
Not a tomb, but a bedroom
Amid the engineering marvels and dramatic contrasts of the catacombs, it is easy to forget their true purpose.
They were places of burial.
Yet the Christians themselves did not call them cemeteries. They called them koimeteria – Greek for “places of rest,” literally “bedrooms.”
The body of the departed was laid into a niche as one might place a loved one in bed. Wrapped in a linen shroud scented with myrrh, the body was sealed behind a stone slab.
In neighboring loculi of identical size there might rest an elderly nobleman and a newborn child. Above them would often be written nothing more than two simple Latin words: in pace [in peace].
Relatives came here to stand beside the niche where someone they loved was sleeping. Every descent underground was harder than the one before.

Above ground, Rome was rigidly divided by rank and status. Everyone knew their place.
Below ground, yesterday’s slave and yesterday’s aristocrat lay in identical niches beneath identical stones.

A kind of equality that no forum could ever provide was achieved here through the simple geometry of stone.

And one final detail shatters the myth of Christians cowering illegally in rat-infested holes.
Legally speaking, the early Christians were not hiding in forbidden spaces. Roman law protected burial grounds through the principle of the inviolability of graves. Christian communities organized themselves as burial associations and owned this land lawfully.
At times the state confiscated the land above the catacombs – under Decius, later under Diocletian. Then, almost as soon as another persecutor disappeared from the stage of history, everything was returned.
Domitian ultimately met the very fate he feared most.
Conspirators from his own inner circle murdered him. The polished stone in which he had placed such trust could not save him.
But the column of sunlight that the fossors carved through the hillside still descends at its appointed hour. It slips through the ancient shaft and finds the same Shepherd upon the wall – painted in darkness by men who later came to sleep here in peace, while the emperor above them could not sleep for fear.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/istorija-i-kulytrua/93703-the-underground-that-outshone-the-empires-palace</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Chernivtsi faithful refute reports of court ruling on cathedral]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93704-chernivtsi-refutes-information-about-court-ruling-on-cathedral</link><description><![CDATA[The faithful said local media publications were an attempt to lull the community into a false sense of security ahead of a possible provocation.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:30:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Believers of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have challenged media reports regarding the legal status of the Holy Spirit Cathedral. Local outlets circulated stories claiming that an appellate court had allegedly overturned the transfer of the church to the OCU structure.
In a Facebook post, the faithful analyzed the text of the court ruling published in the state register and concluded that the information was inaccurate and misleading. They pointed out that sections 7.4 and 7.5 of the court document directly address the issue of the forced eviction of the UOC religious community in favor of OCU supporters.
An OCU lawyer has already submitted a request to the enforcement authorities seeking the removal of obstacles to his supporters’ access to the cathedral. According to one view expressed by the faithful, the misleading media reports are intended to disorient the Orthodox community and create a false sense of security while opponents prepare another forceful action.
Блок - по темі (OCU raider stages nighttime provocation outside UOC church in Serbychany)
Earlier, on February 16, 2025, raiders staged what believers described as a mock “community meeting” outside the cathedral, where around 300 unidentified individuals voted in favor of transferring the parish to the OCU, while claiming that “two thousand votes” had been cast.
On the same day, the actual community of the Holy Spirit Cathedral held a lawful assembly at which 4,506 parishioners unanimously reaffirmed their loyalty to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. The faithful stress that any attempts to re-register the cathedral or forcibly seize its property are unlawful.
As previously reported by the UOJ, preparations are allegedly underway in Chernivtsi for another attempt to seize the UOC cathedral.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93704-chernivtsi-refutes-information-about-court-ruling-on-cathedral</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Zelensky supports LGBT people in Ukraine]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93701-zelensky-supported-lgbt-members-in-ukraine</link><description><![CDATA[The President said he considers himself and LGBT people to be equal human beings.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:31:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Volodymyr Zelensky stated his support for the rights of members of Ukraine’s LGBT community during the presentation of the Tysiachovesna initiative.
The remark came in response to a question from Oleksandr Diomenko, head of the organization Ukrainian LGBT Military for Equal Rights. At the meeting with the President, he asked whether Ukraine needs cultural products aimed at normalizing LGBT people and increasing tolerance among the population.
“I believe society must speak openly about everything. And this is absolutely normal. We are all here together. We are defending the state. We are equal, and we have equal rights – absolutely, regardless of any prejudices held by people from the 15th century. You and I are modern people,” Zelensky said.
He called the veteran “an absolutely heroic person” and praised him for the open conversation.
Block - on topic (Court Confessions of Ukraine: conscience or LGBT?)
As previously reported by the UOJ, according to the DESS head, while members of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations currently oppose LGBT issues, they may make compromises for the sake of European integration.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93701-zelensky-supported-lgbt-members-in-ukraine</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Activist who fired shots in cathedral stages provocation against UOC bishop]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93700-the-activist-who-shot-in-the-cherkasy-cathedral-staged-a-provocation-against-a-uoc-hierarch</link><description><![CDATA[Davyd Pshenychnyi demanded that Metropolitan Theodosiy sign consent to be “exchanged.”]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:29:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Davyd Pshenychnyi, the radical who fired at parishioners of a church in Cherkasy, demanded that Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv sign consent to be “exchanged” to the Russian Federation. This was reported by Pershyi Kozatskyi.
The provocateur suggested that the UOC hierarch “make life easier” for himself and voluntarily agree to deportation. Pshenychnyi presented a prewritten statement in the bishop’s name, allegedly expressing his wish to be exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners of war.
“We are offering you the chance to sign it. You will go to the country you love so much, and we will get our heroes back,” Davyd said.


Davyd Pshenychnyi is known as a participant in the forceful seizure of St. Michael’s Cathedral in Cherkasy, during which he fired a pistol at parishioners. Despite documented acts of violence, the extremist remains at large.
Блок - по темі (Рейдера, стрелявшего в прихожан храма Черкасс, выдвинули в совет Минобороны)
Pshenychnyi is an activist of the Osnova Maibutnoho organization, which operates under the leadership of Yevhen Karas. He has previously taken part in provocations against UOC believers, including during prayer vigils outside the Administrative Court of Cassation in Kyiv.
In February 2026, the radical publicly expressed dissatisfaction with a court ruling in the case of Metropolitan Theodosiy, calling the fine for “inciting interreligious enmity” too lenient a sentence.
As previously reported by the UOJ, the SBU conducted another search at Metropolitan Theodosiy’s premises. According to the hierarch, this may be pressure on him aimed at forcing him to agree to an exchange as an “enemy prisoner of war.”]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93700-the-activist-who-shot-in-the-cherkasy-cathedral-staged-a-provocation-against-a-uoc-hierarch</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Consecration of new metropolitan of Paphos held amid protests]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93699-the-ordination-of-the-new-metropolitan-of-paphos-took-place-amid-protests</link><description><![CDATA[Believers said that Church statutes had been violated and the views of the Orthodox community ignored.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:48:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 11, 2026, Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus performed the episcopal consecration of Gregorios Ioannidis as the new Metropolitan of Paphos at the Cathedral of the Apostle Barnabas in Nicosia. Despite the official nature of the celebration, the event was overshadowed by protests from believers gathered near the southern entrance of the church, according to local media reports.
The faithful publicly expressed their disagreement with the Synod’s decision and interrupted the service with cries of “Axios?” and “Unworthy!” Tensions arose between participants in the ceremony and the protesters, after which the demonstrators left the cathedral. Supporters of Metropolitan Tychikos accused the leadership of the Church of Cyprus of deliberately violating the procedures for selecting a hierarch and ignoring the will of the people.
According to the protesters, the authorities disregarded numerous complaints and imposed on the community a candidate who promotes increased Catholic influence. Participants stressed that Metropolitan Tychikos remains faithful to Church traditions and, unlike supporters of the new course, did not accept the decisions of the Council of Crete.
Block - on the topic (Archbishop of Cyprus to Metropolitan Tikhik: If you don't move out yourself, I'll call the police)
“With this consecration, the Vatican has come much closer to us,” believers from Paphos declared. “It is now easier for Rome to control us and place its own people in the island’s most important see.” The faithful also noted that Metropolitan Tychikos, unlike the new appointees, had not entered into secret mixed marriages and had strictly adhered to canonical norms. The protesters called for an immediate return to compliance with Church statutes and legality.
In his address, Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus sought to justify the hierarchs’ choice, offering words of encouragement to Gregory Ioannidis.
“We must uphold the course of struggle and liberation demanded both by justice and by our historical roots,” he said.
The archbishop called on the new metropolitan to resist national humiliation and to proclaim to the world that there is no room for further concessions on the Cyprus issue.
“The prayers of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will accompany you,” the head of the Church of Cyprus concluded.
As previously reported by the UOJ, Metropolitan Tychikos was evicted from the building of the Paphos Metropolis.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93699-the-ordination-of-the-new-metropolitan-of-paphos-took-place-amid-protests</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Phanar head celebrates name day with Romanian and Bulgarian patriarchs]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93693-the-head-of-the-phanar-celebrated-his-name-day-together-with-the-patriarchs-of-romania-and-bulgaria</link><description><![CDATA[For the first time in the 35 years of his patriarchate, the Ecumenical Patriarch celebrated the feast day of his heavenly patron on his native island of Imbros.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:11:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 11, 2026, the feast day of the Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas, Patriarch Bartholomew celebrated a solemn service on the island of Imbros in Türkiye. For the first time in decades of his ministry, the head of the Phanar marked the day of his heavenly patron in his native village of Aghioi Theodoroi, inviting Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria and Patriarch Daniel of Romania for the occasion. This was reported by the UOJ in Greece.
The arrival of the guests was organized with special honors. On the morning of June 9, 2026, Patriarch Bartholomew personally welcomed the Primate of the Bulgarian Church, after which they set off for the island of Imbros. The following day, June 10, Patriarch Daniel of Romania arrived on Imbros by plane.
The central moment of the celebration was Great Vespers at the Church of St. George, where all three Primates concelebrated. In their official addresses, the Bulgarian Patriarch called the meeting “a testimony to the unity of Orthodoxy.” The head of the Romanian Church, for his part, praised Bartholomew for his “global recognition” and his dialogues with political leaders on environmental issues.
Блок - по темі (Патриарх Варфоломей считает украинцев носителями «русского мира»?)
The Ecumenical Patriarch himself admitted that “nostalgia and reverence for his homeland” had compelled him to come to the island, and thanked the guests for “leaving their sees” to visit a small island with a great history. The head of the Phanar also personally gave the Bulgarian Patriarch a tour of his namesake museum, showing him exhibits connected with his ecclesiastical career.
As previously reported by the UOJ, Patriarch Bartholomew called on four Churches to accept the decisions of the Council of Crete.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93693-the-head-of-the-phanar-celebrated-his-name-day-together-with-the-patriarchs-of-romania-and-bulgaria</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC сhurch dedicated to St. Spyridon of Trimythous сonsecrated in Novoselky]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93691-in-the-village-of-novoselki-a-uoc-church-in-honor-of-spyridon-of-trimythous-was-consecrated</link><description><![CDATA[Archbishop Sylvester, rector of KDAiS, performed the rite of the lesser consecration of the church and led the festive Divine Liturgy.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:18:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 11, 2026, the rite of the lesser consecration of the Church of St. Spyridon of Trimythous took place in the village of Novoselky, Fastiv District, Kyiv Region. With the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, the celebration was led by Archbishop Sylvester of Bilohorodka, rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary. This was reported by the KDAiS press service.
Before the Divine Liturgy, the hierarch blessed water, censed the premises, and sprinkled the entire church building with holy water. Concelebrating with him were Archpriest Volodymyr Yakovchuk, secretary to the Primate of the UOC; Archpriest Pavlo Kyrylov, dean of the Holosiiv Deanery; and the parish rector, Archpriest Antonii Demydenko.
At the conclusion of the service, Archbishop Sylvester addressed the faithful with a sermon and invoked God’s blessing upon the parish community.
On behalf of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, the hierarch presented the parish rector with the Order of St. Job of Pochaiv in recognition of his dedicated service to the canonical Church. Archpriest Antonii thanked Archbishop Sylvester for his archpastoral visit, the consecration of the church, and the opportunity to pray together at the altar.
Блок - по темі (В Запорожской епархии УПЦ освятили храм после реставрации)
As previously reported by the UOJ, KDAiS rector called survey on banning the UOC a manipulation.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93691-in-the-village-of-novoselki-a-uoc-church-in-honor-of-spyridon-of-trimythous-was-consecrated</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ukraine’s MFA: Working to introduce sanctions against Patriarch Kirill]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93690-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-of-ukraine-we-are-working-on-imposing-sanctions-against-patriarch-kirill</link><description><![CDATA[Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has called on the European Union to return the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to its sanctions lists, taking advantage of the absence of a veto from Hungary’s leadership.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:08:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said work is underway to return Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, to the European Union’s sanctions lists. According to him, Kyiv is actively seeking to include in new sanctions packages those individuals who were previously removed under pressure from Hungary’s leadership, which had abused its veto power. This was reported by European Pravda.
“In recent months and weeks, Minister Sybiha has been working very actively to get these people back on the list. If Orban is no longer there, let’s do it,” Tykhyi said at a briefing. The spokesman stressed that Kyiv is aiming to return “big fish” to the lists, including the primate of the Moscow Patriarchate.
He also expressed hope that the names of other Russians included in the updated list would become known soon. The ministry’s representative added that Ukraine plans to find out what conditions Orban’s cabinet had put forward in the past for removing certain individuals from restrictions.
Block - on topic (Head of the Russian Orthodox Church: Attempts to impose special authority of Patriarch Bartholomew are sinful)
As previously reported by the UOJ, the European Union included Patriarch Kirill in a new sanctions list.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93690-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-of-ukraine-we-are-working-on-imposing-sanctions-against-patriarch-kirill</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Altar consecrated in Zakarpattia’s Synevyr village]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93689-in-the-village-of-synevyr-in-transcarpathia-an-altar-was-consecrated</link><description><![CDATA[On the Feast of the Synaxis of the Carpatho-Russian Saints, Metropolitan Mark of Khust led the consecration of the altar in the Dormition church in Synevyr.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:53:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 11, 2026, the consecration of the altar of the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos took place in the Synevyr Deanery of the Khust Eparchy. The diocese reported the event on Facebook.
The festive service was led by Metropolitan Mark of Khust and Vynohradiv. Concelebrating with him were the diocesan vicars, Archbishop Symeon of Uholka and Bishop Mark of Rakhiv, as well as Bishop Veniamin of Skadovsk.
Numerous clergy of the deanery and local faithful joined the hierarchs in prayer. During the Divine Liturgy, special prayers were offered for peace in Ukraine, for its defenders, and for the well-being of the Ukrainian people.
Block - on the topic (In the village of Prypruttia, the altar of a temporary UOC church was consecrated)
As previously reported by the UOJ, a UOC chapel dedicated to St. Spyridon of Trimythous was consecrated in the village of Villkhovtsi.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93689-in-the-village-of-synevyr-in-transcarpathia-an-altar-was-consecrated</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[KDAiS rector calls survey on banning UOC a manipulation]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93688-rector-of-kdais-called-sociological-surveys-about-uoc-ban-a-manipulation</link><description><![CDATA[Archbishop Sylvester of Bilohorodka criticized recent polls on the possible banning of the UOC, arguing that the questions were framed in a way that steered respondents toward predetermined answers.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:43:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[The rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary, Archbishop Sylvester, has analyzed the findings of the sociological study Assessment of the Religious Situation in Ukraine. The hierarch identified flaws in the wording of questions concerning the Church’s canonical status and criticized the methods used to shape public opinion. The information was reported by the UOC Information and Education Department.
Archbishop Sylvester pointed to the legal inconsistency of discussing bans, noting that 44% of respondents were unable to determine the status of the religious organization in question.
“In this context, it is absolutely inappropriate to ask respondents whether the UOC should be banned because of its alleged subordination to the Russian Orthodox Church,” Archbishop Sylvester stated. “The wording of the questions itself openly guided respondents toward predictable answers.”
According to the hierarch, the survey also demonstrated the enduring authority of the Primate of the canonical Church. Sociologists recorded an increase in public trust toward Metropolitan Onuphry, from 18% in 2015 to 28% in 2026. At the same time, a majority of Ukrainians showed a limited awareness of the leaders of the OCU and the Phanar. Between 35% and 62% of respondents admitted they did not know who Epifaniy Dumenko or Patriarch Bartholomew are.
“The level of trust in Metropolitan Onuphry has noticeably increased over the past ten years,” Archbishop Sylvester emphasized. “This happened despite the fierce media campaign aimed at discrediting both the UOC as a whole and its Primate personally.”
The archbishop argued that attempts by officials and media outlets to portray the UOC as a structure losing influence have completely failed.
Block - on topic (Public opinion poll on the religious situation in Ukraine: what do the numbers say?)
Referring to the survey results, he also stressed that there is no broad public support for radical measures against believers.
“From the standpoint of religiosity, Ukrainian society has turned out to be a far more complex system than some government officials or journalists try to portray,” Archbishop Sylvester said.
The hierarch warned that further attempts to intensify church seizures under the guise of parish “transfers” would only provoke growing public resistance.
“It is long past time to put an end to violence as a means of resolving religious disputes,” he concluded.
As previously reported by the UOJ, the rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary recently spoke about the significance of the First Ecumenical Council.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93688-rector-of-kdais-called-sociological-surveys-about-uoc-ban-a-manipulation</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stefanchuk discusses new Civil Code draft with LGBT representatives]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93687-stefanchuk-discussed-the-draft-of-the-new-civil-code-with-lgbt-representatives</link><description><![CDATA[The Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada promised to consider the demands of LGBT activists.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:17:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk held a meeting with representatives of the LGBT community to discuss changes to bill №15150 - the draft of Ukraine's new Civil Code. Stefanchuk reported this on his Facebook page.
During the negotiations, the politician spoke about the importance of "open and responsible dialogue" on issues of equal rights, human dignity, and private life. Stefanchuk promised that all activists' proposals would undergo thorough revision taking into account Ukraine's Constitution and the practices of the European Court of Human Rights.
In his opinion, the updated norms of the code should ensure the "necessary social balance" and comply with European standards. The Speaker of the Rada expressed gratitude to the meeting participants for the "constructive conversation" and their readiness to participate in professional discussion of legislative reforms.
Блок - по темі (Court Confessions of Ukraine: Conscience or LGBT?)
As the UOJ reported, DESS head Viktor Yelensky stated that although the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations has its own “red lines” in relation to the LGBT agenda, its members are capable of compromise as Ukraine advances toward EU membership and needs to fulfill the commitments and obligations it has assumed before the Union. ]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93687-stefanchuk-discussed-the-draft-of-the-new-civil-code-with-lgbt-representatives</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Priest after receiving order for his fallen soldier son: it is very hard]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93686-priest-after-receiving-order-for-his-fallen-soldier-son-it-is-very-hard</link><description><![CDATA[Archpriest Alexander Maksymiuk said that Church remembrance is the main support for soldiers who have departed to the Lord.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:53:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 8, 2026, a ceremony was held at the Rivne District State Administration to present a high state award to the family of a fallen serviceman. The order was received by the soldier’s father, Archpriest Alexander Maksymiuk, dean of the Ostroh Deanery. During the presentation, the priest admitted that no honors can make up for the bitterness of loss.
“It is very hard to receive such awards. I wish he were alive,” the clergyman shared. He stressed that his son will forever remain 20 years old, while war and death “took him to the Lord.”
“I am grateful to God for the trials I have gone through, and I know that the sacrifices laid on the altar of victory are not in vain,” the priest said, expressing his attitude toward the loss of a loved one. According to him, despite the unbearable pain of bereavement, a believer must remember the eternal meaning of the feat performed by defenders of the homeland.


The priest recalled that Church remembrance remains the most important support for those who have departed this life. “This is never forgotten, and I know that the main thing for the departed is remembrance and prayer,” he stated. The archpriest added that prayer in UOC churches and monasteries does not cease for a single day: believers commemorate not only their loved ones, but also all soldiers who have given their lives.
He also expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Rivne Diocese and his fellow clergy for their support at the most difficult moment. On that terrible evening, when news came of his son’s death, Metropolitan Pimen, the ruling bishop of the diocese, and the diocesan secretary, Archpriest Viktor Zemlianyi, came to him. Father Viktor and his wife were also present at the ceremony.
Блок - по темі (Иерарх УПЦ отпел священника Киевской епархии, погибшего на фронте)
The priest’s son, Alexander Maksymiuk, voluntarily joined the ranks of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade before his 20th birthday. The soldier was killed in combat while pulling a wounded comrade from a vehicle that had come under enemy fire.
As previously reported by the UOJ, UOC priests served the funeral rites for those killed in a missile strike on Dnipro.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93686-priest-after-receiving-order-for-his-fallen-soldier-son-it-is-very-hard</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[UOC community in Razumivka builds new church to replace seized one]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93685-uoc-community-in-razumivka-builds-new-church-to-replace-seized-one</link><description><![CDATA[Metropolitan Boholep led the festive service in the newly built Church of the Exaltation of the Cross.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:32:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 6, 2026, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the new Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in the village of Razumivka, Oleksandria Eparchy. This was reported by the UOC Information Center.
The festive service was led by Metropolitan Boholep of Alexandria and Svitlovodsk, concelebrated by local clergy. Together with the faithful, the hierarch offered prayers for peace in Ukraine and thanked the community for its courage in confessing the faith.
For special services to the Church, Metropolitan Boholep presented the church benefactor, Ihor Varyvoda, with a certificate from His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. The faithful expressed their gratitude to Metropolitan Boholep for his archpastoral visit and for supporting the community, which, despite trials, has remained faithful to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Block - on the topic (In the Alexandria Diocese, "Nikiforov Readings" on regional history were held)
The community began building the new church after losing its shrine as a result of raider actions. The parishioners remained faithful to the canonical Church and, within a short time, erected the building through their own donations and perseverance.
As previously reported by the UOJ, a persecuted UOC community in Yurkivtsi built a new church to replace one that had been seized.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93685-uoc-community-in-razumivka-builds-new-church-to-replace-seized-one</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA["Patriarch" Nikodym establishes UOC-KP diocese in Mexico]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93683-patriarch-nikodym-establishes-uoc-kp-diocese-in-mexico</link><description><![CDATA[The head of the UOC-KP, “Patriarch” Nikodym, has announced the creation of a “Mexican Diocese,” incorporating a monastery, academy, and several local parishes whose clergy pledged allegiance to him as their primate.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:52:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 10, 2026, the head of the UOC-KP, “Patriarch” Nikodym, signed a decree establishing a “Mexican Diocese” and admitting a group of local clergy into his organization. According to the decree, Daniel de Jesus Ruiz Flores was appointed to lead the new diocese with the title “Metropolitan of Mexico City and All Mexico.”
Along with the new “hierarch,” the UOC-KP also received the Holy Trinity Monastery, the Church of the Holy Archangels, several missions, and even a “theological academy.” In petitions addressed to Nikodym, the clergy explained their move as a response to requests from the Ukrainian diaspora. They claimed that their faithful wished to remain in “canonical unity” specifically with the “Kyiv Patriarchate.”
"Patriarch" Nikodym has already approved the personnel structure of the new diocese, appointing Archimandrite Constantine (Flores Ojeda), Priest Matthew (Matthias Patrick Jacob), Deacon Basil (Jaime Fabrizio Prada Rojas), and others to various positions. All of them pledged to commemorate Nikodym as their primate during divine services.
Block - on topic (The "enthronement" of the new "patriarch" of the UOC-KP took place in Sumy)
As the UOJ previously reported, the head of the UOC-KP recently stated that he is unable to process all the applications for admission to the Kyiv Patriarchate due to their large number.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93683-patriarch-nikodym-establishes-uoc-kp-diocese-in-mexico</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Church commemorates St. Luke of Crimea]]></title><link>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93681-church-commemorates-st-luke-of-crimea</link><description><![CDATA[The name of the saint and outstanding surgeon remains a symbol of fidelity to one’s calling amid repression and trials.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:24:00 +0300</pubDate><category>News</category><content:encoded><![CDATA[On June 11, 2026, the Orthodox Church commemorates St. Luke of Crimea. The figure of the archbishop and confessor combines the scientific genius of a physician with the unwavering courage of a pastor. The life of Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky) went down in history as a testimony to the triumph of the spirit in the service of saving others.
The future saint was ordained in 1921, at the height of the civil war. A professor of medicine, he openly wore his cassock and cross in the operating room during the harshest anti-religious campaigns. Eyewitnesses recalled that the hierarch categorically refused to perform surgery unless there was an icon in the room.
On one occasion, he left the hospital after the authorities ordered that the icon be removed, but returned when the party leadership made concessions in order to save the life of the gravely ill wife of a local official.
For his convictions, St. Luke spent a total of 11 years in prisons and exile. Despite persecution, he continued his scientific work and treated people wherever possible. In 1946, the authorities awarded him the Stalin Prize, First Class, for outstanding achievements in the field of purulent surgery. The hierarch combined scientific talent with the gift of prayer, helping thousands of people find hope in the most difficult times.
Блок - по темі (Рентген вслепую: диалог со святителем Лукой Крымским)
St. Luke reposed on June 11, 1961, leaving behind hundreds of scientific and theological works. In 2000, the Church glorified Archbishop Luke among the saints and confessors. Today, he is venerated throughout the world as the patron saint of physicians and, for many, as an embodiment of human dignity. His holy relics rest in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Simferopol, remaining a source of consolation and spiritual support.
As the UOJ reported, the holy surgeon proved that the brain does not produce thought.]]></content:encoded><guid>https://spzh.eu/en/news/93681-church-commemorates-st-luke-of-crimea</guid></item></channel></rss>