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·
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)·🇧🇾 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)·🇺🇦 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.
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 11 outlets
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)·🇷🇺 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
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
A Mission Eurasia study reports that religious belief in Ukraine has strengthened despite Russian destruction of at least 737 places of worship. According to RISU, the share of self-identified believers rose from 68% to 74%, with the largest increase among 18-to-24-year-olds. Registered religious organizations also grew by nearly 10%. The article highlights pastor Mark Sergiyev, who continues serving in Kyiv after losing his church in Melitopol. Researchers note that faith provides psychological resilience and community support during the war, proving that Russia cannot destroy Ukrainian spiritual life.
Translated from УкраїнськаAlso reported by 2 outlets
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.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇷🇺 Russia·
The Bryansk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church published a statement describing assault troops as 'meat,' symbolizing resilience and self-sacrifice. The article, originally attributed to Ukrmedia via RISU, highlighted the bravery of soldiers in the conflict. The term 'meat assaults' is commonly used to describe attacks with high casualties. After media scrutiny, the diocese edited the initial sentence on its website by October 29, removing the specific reference to 'meat' while retaining the praise for steadfastness. The original text remains archived. The post accompanied a visit by priest Konstantin Vasiliev, who delivered supplies and conducted services for units of the 'Sever' grouping under Metropolitan Alexander's blessing.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Papal Almoner Archbishop Luis Marina de San Martín visited a Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish in Shchaslyve, Ukraine, accompanied by Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas. The visit aims to demonstrate Pope Leo XIV's closeness to those suffering from the war and to observe church charity work. Father Hryhoriy Berezhyk presented the War Wounds Healing Center, supported by the Patriarchal Foundation 'Wise Cause' and L'Œuvre d'Orient. The mission, lasting until October 30, includes stops in Kyiv, Fastiv, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia to support communities affected by conflict.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Ukrainian soldiers in the Sumy region used drone footage to create a digital model of a historic church destroyed by Russian forces in Yunkivtsi. The 47th Mechanized Brigade documented the site after raising a flag there in summer 2026. Architects from Heritage Monitoring Lab and Sumy Future used the video to record structural damage, including collapsed domes and deformed walls. Archbishop Methodius noted the 18th-century building served as a field hospital before its destruction. This digital preservation effort aims to document cultural losses for future restoration, as physical access remains impossible due to ongoing hostilities.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
A papal envoy visited Caritas Spes Ukraine in Kyiv to discuss the ongoing war and humanitarian needs. The meeting included displaced women from Bakhmut who shared their experiences of loss and displacement. Participants included Caritas Spes Ukraine President Bishop Oleksandr Yazlovetskyi, Executive Director Father Vyacheslav Hrynevych, Deputy Executive Director Olena Voychyk, and Kyiv Director Father Andriy Peda. The envoy expressed solidarity with Ukrainians and support for the organization's work. The visit highlighted the Church's continued commitment to those affected by nearly five years of full-scale war, emphasizing compassion and shared burden.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The Russian Ministry of Defense conducted its first large-scale military training for priests on occupied Ukrainian territory, according to the outlet Christians Against War. The event took place at the rear training ground of the Russian grouping 'West'. Both Orthodox and Muslim clerics participated in the sessions. During the training, the religious figures studied basic combat skills, including movement across the battlefield, communication organization, tactical medicine, and psychological support. This marks a significant step in integrating religious personnel into the military structure of the occupying forces in the region.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Women of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in Lviv participated in a training session focused on developing leadership skills for social service, according to Eleos-Ukraine. Trainer and psychologist Nataliia Bordun reported that participants were motivated to take initiative and organize larger community projects. The program, implemented by Eleos-Ukraine in partnership with Dan Church Aid and Norwegian Church Aid, aims to support mental health during the war in Ukraine. It is funded by the Norwegian government and conducted in cooperation with the Lviv Theological Seminary.
Translated from Українська
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