RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Pilgrims and monks at the Pochaiv Lavra in Ukraine attribute Russian missile strikes to the devil rather than the Russian state. According to RISU, visitors expressed views that spiritual weakness, not politics, drives the conflict. Some blamed the United States or claimed Ukraine provoked the war. These sentiments echo similar narratives heard three years ago. The report notes that while such opinions are not proof of official Lavra propaganda, they reflect persistent disinformation among some visitors.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
In Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukraine, a community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, led by its rector Father Roman Mykhailyuk, has transferred to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. According to RISU, 31 of 34 active members voted in favor of the change on September 15. In response, the local diocese issued a ban on Father Roman's ministry, backdating the order to September 14. The priest stated that support for the war by the Russian Orthodox Church prompted the decision, noting that previous appeals to church leadership were ignored. This move reflects a broader trend of Ukrainian parishes seeking independence from Moscow's influence amid the ongoing conflict.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Ukrainian authorities are attempting to terminate the lease agreement with the Pochaiv Lavra in Ukraine due to its affiliation with the Russian Orthodox Church. The state agency DESS cited the monastery's inclusion in the Moscow Patriarchate's structure as grounds for separation. Lawyers for the Lavra have requested a two-month extension to comply with the order, arguing that convening a spiritual council requires more time. Meanwhile, the state is pursuing legal actions to reclaim land and inventory religious artifacts, citing unauthorized renovations and missing icons. The article also notes that some pilgrims expressed pro-Russian narratives regarding the ongoing war.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The 19th Ecumenical Social Week will take place in Lviv, Ukraine, in October 2026. Organizers, including the Institute of Ecumenical Studies of the Ukrainian Catholic University and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, aim to foster solidarity amid societal polarization. Over 200 participants, including Thomas Seding and Vitaliy Portnikov, will discuss how churches and civil society can rebuild trust and justice following the Russian war. The forum explores new models for social unity and international partnership. Registration closes on October 2, 2026.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Ukrainian prosecutors are preparing a lawsuit against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) for its management of the Pochaiv Lavra monastery in the Ternopil region. A Ministry of Culture commission discovered that several historic icons, including an 1807 painting, have disappeared from the site. The commission also documented unauthorized structural changes, such as demolished walls and unapproved murals depicting the Russian imperial family. Vasyl Ilchyshyn, director of the Kremenchuk-Pochaiv State Reserve, stated that monks actively resisted inspections. The regional prosecutor's office is currently gathering evidence to seek early termination of the lease agreement signed in 2003.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
An appellate court in Ukraine has upheld the conviction of Metropolitan Antoniy (Fialko), the former head of the Khmelnytskyi diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. The court confirmed a two-year probation period and a ban on holding religious leadership positions. Fialko was originally sentenced for inciting religious hatred after a 2022 sermon urging followers to use weapons against those supporting the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The video was published online in 2024. Fialko denied guilt, claiming the footage was fabricated. The case arose following tensions in Khmelnytskyi, where parishioners protested and moved to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The defense now has three months to file a cassation appeal.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
A priest from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate will face retrial in Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine. He is accused of justifying Russian aggression by claiming Russian troops were not occupying Kyiv region areas. Witnesses stated he called such reports fake news. The initial court sentenced him to three years of probation, but an appeal overturned the verdict due to procedural violations. The case, number 289/404/23, will resume on September 24 at the Radomyshl District Court. The priest denies guilt, alleging he was framed for refusing to switch to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Religious scholar Oleksandr Brodetskyi reported that a Russian Orthodox Church website urgently removed an article about Metropolitan Pymen Voyat of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) worshipping in Jerusalem. The original post, which showed the bishop serving alongside a representative of the Russian spiritual mission, is now inaccessible. Brodetskyi suggests this deletion indicates pressure from the Ukrainian church to hide ongoing ties with Moscow. Meanwhile, Metropolitan Ilarion of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in Rivne urged Ukrainian church members to sever connections with Russia and build a future based on truth and responsibility.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The Russian Orthodox Church has signed an agreement with the occupied Melitopol State University in Ukraine to promote moral education among students. The deal, signed by the university's appointed rector and Bishop Pyotr of Berdiansk and Primorsk, involves joint programs on spiritual enlightenment and culture. Activities include seminars and encouraging students to help the needy and visit orphanages. The outlet Locator Media reports that priests, rather than educators, will likely lead these efforts. The agreement also aims to combat violence and totalitarian sects while supporting Russian campaigns such as 'Russia without Abortion' and 'Day of Family, Love and Fidelity'.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Maxim Ostapenko, director of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra National Sanctuary, told Shelter that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church community continues to broadcast Russian propaganda narratives. He stated that the brotherhood remains under the influence of Metropolitan Pavel and publishes a journal in Russian that mirrors current Kremlin messaging. Ostapenko criticized the slow implementation of laws regarding the church and argued that the Russian Orthodox Church plays a destructive role against Ukrainian identity. He urged that the enemy be named as such, noting that moderation is counterproductive during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Archbishop Iona Cherepanov of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) publicly defended joint liturgical services with Russian clergy on social media. He criticized the view that such cooperation is unacceptable, stating that his church has not severed Eucharistic communion with the Russian Orthodox Church. This stance drew sharp criticism from public figure Edgar Kalancha, who argued that the church has shifted from claiming severed ties to normalizing collaboration with the aggressor nation. Kalancha warned that this represents a loss in the information war and highlighted the influence of foreign intelligence operations on Ukrainian society.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
A court in Donetsk has ordered the closure of a Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) parish due to the collaborationist activities of its rector, Protodeacon Mykola Zirka. According to LB.ua, citing Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) materials, the decision follows Zirka's earlier conviction by the Dnipro Industrial District Court for collaboration, which resulted in a seven-year prison sentence. Although he was exchanged as a prisoner of war in 2023, the legal framework mandates the termination of religious organizations whose leaders are convicted of crimes against national security. This ruling demonstrates the practical application of laws targeting groups linked to the Russian Orthodox Church, addressing previous criticisms regarding the need to prove specific connections to Moscow.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
A physical altercation took place in the village of Stara Chortoryia, Zhytomyr region, Ukraine, between members of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. According to Alexander Litovsky, a local resident, the conflict arose when the new congregation attempted to enter the Holy Trinity Church after receiving official state registration documents. Representatives of the previous group blocked access, leading to pushing and shoving. Regional officials confirmed the legal registration of the new community in August 2026. The new group plans to resolve ownership disputes through legal channels with local authorities.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine are engaged in a legal battle over the Troitsky Cathedral in Odessa, Ukraine. Although the building remains under the control of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine recently re-registered the parish community under its own jurisdiction. This move follows parish meetings and statutory changes approved by OCU Archbishop Afanasiy. The Moscow Patriarchate challenges these documents in court, arguing that parishioners were unaware of the meetings and that the legal procedures were flawed. The dispute highlights the ongoing struggle for control over historic religious sites in the region amid the broader conflict between the two church bodies.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Two religious communities in Slaviansk, Ukraine, have officially transferred to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). Military figure Oleksandr Onishchenko announced the move, citing years of outreach to parishioners. The congregations, dedicated to St. Seraphim of Sarov and the Icon of the Mother of God 'Unexpected Joy', completed the legal process through regional authorities. This follows a similar transition by a cathedral in the city in April 2026. While some former clergy resisted the change, citing anti-Ukrainian sentiments, the parishioners voted for the shift to align with national religious identity. The groups are now preparing to hold their first services under the new jurisdiction.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Canada has started a fundraising campaign to support residents in the Kharkiv and Donbas regions. According to the church's information department, the collected funds will provide food, medicine, blankets, heaters, and generators. The initiative responds to ongoing needs in frontline areas, where over 520,000 internally displaced people reside. Parish centers, such as the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Kharkiv, continue to distribute essential supplies to vulnerable groups. The effort involves Ukrainian Catholic eparchies in Canada and the United States, with the Eparchy of Edmonton collaborating with CNEWA for its September campaign.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav, has urged parishes, monasteries, and communities to become centers of energy resilience this winter. According to the Religious Information Service of Ukraine, the Patriarch stated that Russia is systematically targeting residential buildings, schools, hospitals, and energy infrastructure to freeze Ukrainian cities. He emphasized that preparing for the season requires collective strength rather than panic. The spiritual leader called on the faithful to open their spaces to those suffering from darkness and cold, while also asking international partners to help develop local energy stability in Ukraine.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
A pastor from the Poltava region in Ukraine lost a court case challenging his mobilization. Although he had a past criminal record and claimed religious objections to bearing arms, courts ruled the recruitment lawful. The judge noted that recent legal changes removed exemptions for those with serious convictions. Furthermore, alternative civilian service is not available during martial law. The man, who serves at a church in Horishni Plavni, was deemed fit for duty and assigned to logistical support. The ruling emphasizes that defending territorial integrity is a constitutional duty that overrides religious beliefs in this context.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇷🇺 Russia·
A Moscow court fined the head of Russian Baptists 20,000 rubles for possessing one copy of the Synodal translation Bible, according to RISU. The Bible was published by Mission Eurasia, an American organization designated as undesirable by Russia's Prosecutor General in April. The court rejected defense arguments that punishing the religious organization and its leader for the same offense was excessive. This follows a similar fine imposed on the Golgotha church on September 7 for the same reason. The ruling highlights ongoing legal pressure against religious groups in Russia linked to foreign publications deemed undesirable by state authorities.
Translated from Українська
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