RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Andriy Shchekun, an authorized representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's Crimean Eparchy, accused Russia of carrying out targeted religious ethnocide against Ukrainians in occupied Crimea. Speaking to media outlets, he stated that the Russian regime aims to destroy Ukrainian national identity by suppressing freedom of religion. Shchekun cited the seizure of churches, the destruction of temples in Simferopol and Yevpatoria, and the imprisonment of clergy and laypeople as evidence of this campaign. He proposed a three-step international algorithm to protect prisoners and hold Russian officials accountable through legal mechanisms and global religious pressure.
Translated from Українська
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RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church met with the Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in Vatican City to discuss ongoing humanitarian support. The Vatican official recently visited Ukraine, traveling to cities including Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Poltava to assess needs. During the meeting, both parties expressed gratitude for past assistance and outlined future cooperation to help those suffering from the war. They also called for an end to the conflict and prayed for peace, according to the church's information department.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇧🇾 Belarus·
A 66-year-old Catholic priest in Belarus has been sentenced to three years in prison and a heavy fine. The verdict was issued in October by the Vileyka District Court, which held closed hearings that excluded the public. According to katolik.life, the priest was initially charged with treason, but that charge was dropped due to lack of evidence. He was subsequently convicted of insulting state authorities and extremism. Parishioners report that even church curia leadership lacks details on the specific accusations. The case highlights the ongoing legal pressure on religious figures in Belarus.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
According to the outlet RISU, a Russian Orthodox Church priest named Solovyov died in Ukraine after being struck by an FPV drone. The Moscow Patriarchate states that Solovyov had been at the front since mid-2022 and was performing pastoral duties when he died. The publication notes that this incident marks the 30th Russian priest to die in the war against Ukraine. The information was reported by the group Christians Against War.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The oldest church in Sloviansk, Ukraine, was damaged by a recent Russian strike. The Information and Educational Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) reported that the blast wave shattered windows and covered the interior with debris. A pectoral cross fell onto the altar, and both the frescoes and the facade suffered damage. The Resurrection Church, originally built as a wooden structure in 1775 and later replaced by a stone building in the 19th century, holds three altars dedicated to Christ's Resurrection, Saint Nicholas, and the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. This incident highlights the ongoing destruction of cultural and religious heritage sites in the region.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Authorities in Ternopil, Ukraine, have filed criminal charges against a 64-year-old former pastor for sexually abusing two young girls. The Ternopil Regional Prosecutor's Office states the suspect lured the 10- and 12-year-old victims with promises of money and a mobile phone. The incident occurred in a wooded area on July 9. The girls recorded the abuse on the device, which a relative discovered the next day. Police promptly investigated the evidence and arrested the suspect. The case involves repeated non-penetrative sexual violence under Ukrainian criminal law.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The Lviv Regional Administrative Court ruled on October 29, 2026, that the Roman Catholic Church must sign a protection agreement for the Carmelite Monastery complex in Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. The court found that two religious organizations using the historic site, which includes a 16th-century church and bell tower, failed to conclude mandatory contracts despite warnings from the regional architecture department. The decision mandates that both groups finalize these agreements with the administration within one month. This legal action aims to ensure the preservation of the cultural heritage site registered in the state database. The ruling can still be appealed to the Eighth Appellate Administrative Court.
Members of the Ukrainian amputee football team 'Pokrova AMP' from Lviv met Pope Leo XIV during a general audience at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on October 28, 2026. The group, founded by Salesian priests to support veterans with limb loss, recently competed in the Amp Futbol Champions League in Fano, Italy. Team leader Bohdan Melnyk and priest Mykhailo Chaban stated that the initiative aims to aid physical and mental rehabilitation for soldiers returning from the war. The visit was organized with the help of the Apostolic Nuncio and the Ukrainian Ambassador to the Holy See, highlighting the team's growing national presence and inclusive sports mission.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
According to the outlet Golos Krymu, Russian occupiers transported an icon called the Prayer Shield of Russia to Simferopol in Crimea. The item was part of a project supported by charitable foundations and blessed by Metropolitan Tikhon Shevkunov. It was displayed at a church led by Archpriest Dmitry Krotkov, who heads the military department of the Russian Orthodox Church in the region. The icon features images of the Mother of God and patron saints of eighteen Russian military branches. Russian TV presenter Tutta Larsen also attended the event. The group claims the object spiritually protects soldiers from enemies.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇷🇺 Russia·
A Russian Orthodox Metropolitan in Bryansk, Russia, urged local residents to endure recent drone strikes that have killed civilians, including children. Speaking on November 1 at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, the cleric advised people to avoid forests and pray for soldiers defending the border region. He emphasized the need for caution, particularly regarding children who might run outside. The remarks were reported by the outlet Christians Against War, highlighting the ongoing violence in the border area between Russia and Ukraine.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Archpriest Mykhailo Odarych was mobilized in Starokostiantyniv, Ukraine, on November 2, according to the Khmelnytskyi Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). Police detained him, and the local Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support verified his records. Angelina Oliferuk, head of communications for the center, confirmed he had no deferment or reservation. He was sent for a medical board, deemed fit for service, and enrolled in a military unit, potentially as a chaplain. The diocese noted his parish in Skovorodky is now without a priest. The center stated actions followed current legislation.
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.
Translated from УкраїнськаAlso reported by 1 other outlet
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
International Partnership for Human Rights will present a report on religious persecution in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories in Lviv. The document, titled 'Who Is Your God?', is based on testimonies from victims and witnesses in Kharkiv, Kherson, Luhansk, and Crimea. It documents censorship, looting, arbitrary detention, and torture targeting those resisting Russian influence. The event features authors Dmitry Afanasyev, Marina Mukhina, and Anastasia Donetsk, along with Dr. Roman Nazarenko. The report argues these actions constitute systematic repression and potential war crimes under the Rome Statute.
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.
Translated from Українська
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