Five Franciscan friars who died in 1597 were beatified in Savannah, Georgia, on October 31, 2026. Cardinal Frank Leo celebrated Mass in the name of Pope Leo XIV. The missionaries were killed during an indigenous uprising in Spanish Florida after refusing to compromise on Christian marriage teachings. The ceremony honored their witness of faith and martyrdom, which the Church recognizes as a testament to their heroic virtue and love for Christ.
Translated from УкраїнськаAlso reported by 10 outlets
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇧🇾 Belarus·
Belarusian authorities have denied permission for Catholics to hold a memorial service at a burial site for victims of communist repression near Gomel. This marks the first time since the 1990s that the annual November 2 prayer on Chernihiv Highway has been prohibited, according to Katolik.life. The site, where many clergy were executed, was the last such location in Belarus where public worship occurred, following restrictions at Kurapaty near Minsk since 2023. The ban reportedly conflicts with state ideology, which attributes executions solely to Nazis during the war while ignoring Soviet repression. The service was previously led by Bishop Kazimierz Wielosielec, who died in early 2026.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇵🇱 Poland·
A 31-year-old Ukrainian citizen, identified as Igor M., faces a potential life sentence after prosecutors in Poland updated charges against him for a deadly attack on a Benedictine monastery in Jarosław. The incident on September 24 resulted in the death of a 72-year-old priest and injuries to four others. Initially charged with murder and attempted murder, prosecutors now allege five separate crimes committed with repeated intent. Igor M. confessed to the acts but remains in a secure psychiatric hospital due to diagnosed psychotic disorders. Experts are currently evaluating his mental state at the time of the offense to determine criminal responsibility.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
A guided aerial bomb destroyed a Baptist church near Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, around 4 a.m. according to baptystsUA. The strike occurred shortly after a Sunday service attended by 15 local Christians. Pastor Yakov Bak, who led the gathering, stated that no one was injured, attributing their safety to divine mercy. The nearby church in Kushugum had previously been destroyed. Russian forces continue to systematically target Balabine and the surrounding community with KABs and FPV drones, causing widespread damage to residential and infrastructure assets. Local authorities urge residents to evacuate to safer regions due to the high danger.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
A journalist from Sevastopol has published a new book titled 'Religion in War,' which examines the impact of faith during the Russian occupation of Crimea. The publication, reported by Krym. Realii, features a foreword by Epiphanius, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The work analyzes the damage inflicted on Ukrainian religious infrastructure by Russian aggression and the use of faith as a weapon by the Kremlin. It also addresses collaboration within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and highlights the service of Ukrainian chaplains. This book concludes research started in 2016 regarding the role of religion from the annexation of Crimea to the full-scale invasion.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇧🇪 Belgium·
A canister containing gasoline and fireworks was discovered near a church in Antwerp, Belgium, which serves Belarusian Greek Catholics. The incident occurred on Sunday, prompting police to close the street and cancel the Lithurgy conducted in Belarusian. Father Ivan Maisiechyk announced the cancellation on Facebook following reports of a possible bomb threat. Authorities detained a suspect and confiscated a vehicle linked to the event. Investigators are currently examining the individual's involvement. The parish has historically supported Ukraine and hosted exhibitions honoring Belarusian cultural figures.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav, thanked those who helped evacuate residents from Oleshky, a city on occupied territory where people had been starving for months. He emphasized that many similar cities exist under occupation and urged the world to remember human rights violations, including torture and religious persecution. The Patriarch also expressed gratitude for the visit of Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, who traveled to Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, and Kyiv. Additionally, he condemned a recent Russian missile strike on a train station in Dnipro on October 29, which killed 15 people and injured over 15 others, including an 11-year-old boy.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇸 United States·
Representatives from the US diplomatic corps, the Ukrainian community, and the Washington National Cathedral gathered in Washington, DC, for a prayer service on All Saints' Day. The event, titled 'Children Praying for Children,' was organized by the Ukrainian House, the Union of Ukrainian Women of America, and the cathedral. Attendees included Assistant Secretary of State Riley Barnes and Ukrainian clergy. Temporary Chargé d'Affaires Denis Senyk highlighted the trauma Ukrainian children face from air raids. The initiative, launched in 2024, aims to support children kidnapped by Russia and has spread across the US and globally.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed accusations by American commentator Tucker Carlson regarding religious persecution in Ukraine. Speaking to Radio Svoboda, Zelenskyy highlighted that Russian forces have killed approximately 120 religious figures and damaged nearly 800 religious buildings. He criticized Carlson for commenting on the situation without visiting the country. The President emphasized that Ukraine hosts the largest Council of Religious Institutions in Europe, fostering dialogue among Christians, Jews, and Muslims. He invited Carlson to witness the destruction firsthand and observe the country's religious freedom.
Translated from УкраїнськаAlso reported by 2 outlets
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇷🇺 Russia·
A Russian court sentenced 74-year-old Baptist pastor Yuri Sipko to five years in a general-regime colony on October 28, according to the outlet Vsi Razom. The verdict follows a 2022 YouTube broadcast where Sipko condemned Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and described the destruction of Ukrainian cities. Russian authorities classified these statements as spreading false information about the military. Sipko, who previously led the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians and Baptists, fled Russia in 2023 and was tried in absentia. He responded on Facebook, noting the irony of receiving a prison term for stating facts about the war, while reaffirming his stance on the ongoing conflict.
Translated from УкраїнськаAlso reported by 2 outlets
Archbishop Luis Marina de San Martín, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, visited Ukraine from October 27 to 30, 2026. Accompanied by Dr. Massimo Ralli and Apostolic Nuncio Visvaldas Kulbokas, the delegation traveled approximately 2,800 kilometers. They visited twelve Catholic charitable organizations in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Shchaslyve, Poltava, and Fastiv. The group delivered winter clothing, blankets, and food collected from Vatican staff. The visit aimed to show solidarity with war victims and displaced persons, ensuring they knew they were not alone in their suffering, according to the Dicastery's report.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Representatives of Caritas Ukraine greeted residents evacuated from Oleshky at the border with Belarus. According to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church's information department, Caritas specialists worked with the Office of the Ukrainian Ombudsman over the past week to assess needs and arrange departures to government-controlled territory. At the border, a warm tent provided SIM cards, food, internet, and psychological support. The organization also arranged transport for relatives meeting the evacuees. Upon arrival in Ukraine, individuals were taken to a hospital, where Caritas will continue to assist with their adaptation.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇧🇾 Belarus·
A court in Belarus has officially liquidated Greek Catholic and Baptist religious communities, according to updated data from the Unified State Register cited by the outlet 7x70. The Greek Catholic group in Orsha previously lacked its own church and held services in a local Roman Catholic cathedral. In contrast, the Baptist congregation possessed its own building and engaged in active preaching activities. This legal action removes their official status within the country.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (VRCiRO) issued a statement on October 31 thanking those involved in the humanitarian mission to Oleshky in the Kherson region. The council expressed gratitude to Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets, his team, and Western partners, particularly the United States, for facilitating agreements between Ukrainian and Russian ombudsmen. The mission relied on a ceasefire to deliver aid and evacuate residents. VRCiRO praised Pope Leo XIV and expressed hope that this model could be applied to other areas, while reaffirming prayers for an end to the war.
Archbishop Luis Marin de San Martin, the Vatican’s Apostolic Almoner, concluded his visit to Ukraine on October 30, 2026. Despite overnight missile and drone attacks in Kyiv that forced the delegation into shelters, the group visited several charitable facilities. They met with residents at a Mother Teresa sisters’ home for vulnerable people and a DePole Ukraine shelter for displaced persons. The delegation also traveled to Fastiv to meet mothers of fallen soldiers and visited a Dominican center providing food and aid. The Almoner delivered gifts from the Pope to support ongoing winter relief efforts before departing for Poland. According to Vatican News, the visit highlighted the Church’s solidarity with those affected by the war.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇷🇺 Russia·
Tofik Abdugaziev, a detainee in the so-called Crimean Muslims case, was released from a Russian penal colony in Chelyabinsk on October 26 due to severe health issues, including cancer. Refat Chubarov, head of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, confirmed the release after Abdugaziev returned to Crimea. Medical commissions had previously determined that his condition made imprisonment incompatible with life, yet authorities delayed his release for eight months. Human rights defenders describe this delay as intentional creation of life-threatening conditions. Abdugaziev was originally sentenced to 12 years in 2022 for alleged involvement with Hizb ut-Tahrir, a group banned in Russia but permitted elsewhere. He now faces travel restrictions within Crimea.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
On October 29, a papal envoy visited Zaporizhzhia and Poltava in Ukraine to deliver humanitarian assistance to war-affected communities. According to Vatican News, the delegation met with displaced persons and those suffering from food shortages. In Zaporizhzhia, the envoy supported the Apostolic Almoner’s efforts to distribute bread and canned goods, including a donated oven used by Catholic and Protestant groups. The visit also included a stop at a humanitarian center in the Donetsk Exarchate, where aid was provided for a sheltered school and kindergarten. In Poltava, funds were left to help refugees with essential supplies like medicine and winter clothing, as reported by RISU.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
According to RISU, a Ukrainian Orthodox Church temple in Sloviansk was damaged by Russian airstrikes. Priest Vitaliy Danchak reported that Russian forces dropped two FAB-250 bombs on the city. The attack caused significant destruction to civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings and commercial establishments, in addition to the religious site. This incident highlights the ongoing impact of the conflict on cultural and religious landmarks in the region.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Following significant territorial losses in the Donetsk region, the Russian Orthodox Church organized an aerial procession over the Kupiansk and Lyman directions. According to The Moscow Times, citing the Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces lost 241 square kilometers in late September and early October. The church stated that soldiers are protected by prayer and the intercession of Saint Russian Warrior. The flight was accompanied by a song by priest Georgy Dekhtyaryov. This event follows the church's transport of relics of Dmitry Donskoy to the front lines in September. Ukrainian forces recently liberated 277 square kilometers during their Vivaldi operation.
Translated from Українська
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