RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
According to RISU, Viktor Bondarenko, a pastor and volunteer from Berdiansk, Ukraine, was sentenced to over 22 years in prison by Russian occupation authorities. Bondarenko organized evacuations and delivered humanitarian aid to civilians during the occupation. He was arrested in May 2024 following a previous detention in 2022. His daughter, Maria Sizyonova, shared details of his arrest and imprisonment in various facilities, including the Vladimir Central in Russia. The report highlights the broader persecution of religious leaders in occupied territories, noting that dozens of clergy have been killed or imprisoned by Russian forces since the full-scale invasion began.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Ukraine's State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience has extended the deadline for the Pochaiv Lavra by 60 days to cut links with the Russian Orthodox Church. Head of the service Viktor Yelensky stated the religious organization requested more time because its abbot lacks authority to leave the Kyiv Metropolitanate alone and needs to translate Russian-language evidence. If the lavra fails to comply within the new timeframe, authorities plan to sue to ban the organization. This follows the service's decision to sue the Kyiv Metropolitanate in August 2025 after it refused similar orders, with a court hearing scheduled for September 10.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Dmitry Krotkov, the head of the military department for the Crimean Metropolitanate of the Russian Orthodox Church, received a medal from occupying authorities for his support of military units. The award, named 'For the Dnieper,' recognizes his spiritual and humanitarian aid to the front. Krotkov recently led a service at the 'State' icon church in Simferopol, Crimea, where he distributed religious items to children and parents. The incident highlights the continued integration of religious figures into the administrative and military structures imposed by the occupation forces in the region.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
According to RISU, citing Lokator Media, Russian occupiers in the Zaporizhzhia region plan to introduce Orthodox culture lessons in schools for the 2026-2027 academic year. Bishop Peter of Berdiansk and Prymorsk proposed the initiative to the Russian Ministry of Education. The illegal local education authority supports the plan but lacks qualified teachers. Bishop Peter admitted a shortage of clergy and intends to recruit graduates from Russian seminaries. The outlet warns that priests or military chaplains, rather than educators, may be assigned to teach children in the occupied territory.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Metropolitan Epiphanius of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine led a joint prayer service in Kyiv to mark the International Day of the Disappeared. The event was organized by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, according to LB.ua. Attendees included families of defenders, officials such as Dmytro Usow and Bohdan Okhrimenko, military personnel, volunteers, and members of the public. During the service, the Metropolitan honored those missing and thanked those working to bring citizens home from captivity. He expressed firm belief in their return. Families also received awards from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine for spiritual resilience. A meeting followed to discuss ongoing support efforts.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv welcomed 477 new students during its orientation session. The event introduced freshmen to campus life, student leadership, and spiritual support. Myroslav Marynovych, a university advisor, emphasized living out Catholic values. Metropolitan Borys Gudziak, the university president, addressed the students about human dignity and the importance of community. He encouraged them to remain truthful and resilient amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. The session aims to help new students adapt and understand the institution's mission of service and personal growth.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) has consecrated a new church in the Vinnytsia region of Ukraine. According to the UOC MP's Information and Educational Department, construction began after most parishioners voted to leave the Moscow Patriarchate and join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2023. Metropolitan Agapit led the Divine Liturgy alongside other clergy. During the service, he expressed support for the pastor and congregation, congratulated them on the consecration, and presented blessing certificates and UOC MP orders to parish benefactors and workers.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
In Vetly, Volyn region, Ukraine, a priest from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Stanislav Skupeiko, refused to surrender church keys to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine’s pastor, Roman Gula. This occurred on August 25, following a court ruling that mandated the transfer of access. The legal dispute began after the local community voted to switch denominations in 2022. Although the Supreme Court upheld the decision in June 2026, the keys remain with the former clergy. Parishioners state they will continue seeking legal resolution without violence, despite previous threats and incidents involving the pastor.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Politics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) has filed a lawsuit seeking to terminate the activities of the Rovenskoye diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. According to the DESS website, the agency requests that the court transfer the diocese's property, funds, and other assets to state ownership. The Sixth Appellate Administrative Court in Kyiv has opened proceedings and scheduled the hearing for September 30, 2026, at 14:00. The diocese was registered in 2013 in the city of Rovenky, Luhansk region. This legal action marks a significant step in the state's efforts to regulate religious organizations. (68 words)
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
According to the press service of Ukraine for Christ, Russian forces destroyed a warehouse and office used by the humanitarian mission. The facility, operational since June 2022, served as a central hub where over 1,000 volunteers from various churches and charities coordinated aid. The site stored more than 600 tons of assistance from partners in Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria, and facilitated the production of 175,000 food packages. The mission collaborated with over 300 congregations and state agencies to support displaced persons and military personnel. The destruction halts these critical relief operations in the region.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
According to RISU, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church communities in Crimea, particularly in Sevastopol and Kerch, struggled for decades to secure places of worship and land. Despite early registration efforts in the 1990s and support from local activists, the groups faced administrative obstacles, pressure from pro-Russian authorities, and opposition from the Moscow Patriarchate. After Russia's 2014 annexation, clergy were detained and forced to leave, effectively ending open religious life for these communities. The article highlights how these parishes served as centers for Ukrainian cultural identity before being suppressed under occupation.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The RISU news agency reports that Telegram channels associated with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) have disseminated statements by Alexei Selivanov, a Russian occupant and participant in the Special Military Operation. Investigators from the channel Monolog note that Selivanov, a former parishioner of the Ionin Monastery in Kyiv, promoted genocidal rhetoric and the concept of 'rerussification' of Ukrainians at a 2022 forum in Moscow. The report highlights that Selivanov was previously identified by Ukraine's Security Service in 2014 as involved in financing terrorism in eastern Ukraine. The outlet emphasizes that these channels are amplifying the views of a known separatist.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇧🇾 Belarus·
Belarusian authorities have officially liquidated the Republican Association of Lutherans. The decision followed a lawsuit by the authorized representative for religious affairs, citing the group's failure to undergo mandatory re-registration. The organization, registered in Vitebsk in 2001, was led by Kastus Mardvintsiv. Mardvintsiv stated that the church did not voluntarily dissolve but could not meet new legal requirements regarding founder numbers and member data disclosure. RISU reports that this move occurs within a broader context of pressure on dissenters, although other Lutheran communities in Belarus continue to operate independently.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, compared Archbishop Paul Gallagher’s recent trip to Moscow with Christ’s descent into hell. The visit took place from August 25 to 27 in Russia. During a meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Gallagher condemned the war against Ukraine and urged peace talks on behalf of Pope Leo XIV. Shevchuk stated that this diplomatic mission aimed to stop aggression while Russia plans further escalation in Ukraine and Europe. He noted that Ukrainians supported the mission with prayers and thanked the Pope for his continuous efforts toward a just peace. The remarks were shared in a weekly video address.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
Metropolitan Meletyi of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) consecrated a new church in a village in the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine. The Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU) reports that the ceremony took place after the local congregation voted to join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in November 2023. A minority group remaining loyal to Moscow decided to build their own place of worship. During the service, Metropolitan Meletyi led the Divine Liturgy. He also elevated priest Vasyli Luchak to the rank of archpriest with the blessing of Metropolitan Onufriy. Meletyi was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2022.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
RISU reports that the Poltava Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church maintains structural and symbolic links to the Russian Orthodox Church, despite claims of independence. Metropolitan Philip retains awards from Moscow and appears on the Russian Patriarchate's website. The eparchy continues to sell Russian religious literature and has not issued a clear statement severing ties. While some clergy condemned the war, the leadership avoids direct criticism of Patriarch Kirill. The State Service for Ethnic Politics and Freedom of Conscience has not yet investigated the eparchy directly, as it is part of the Kyiv Metropolitanate, which faces legal action for its affiliation with Russia.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
The Pereiaslav National Historical and Ethnographic Reserve has granted the Orthodox Church of Ukraine permission to hold services in the St. Michael's Cathedral. The agreement was signed by acting director Marina Navalna and Metropolitan Alexander. According to the outlet, services will take place at scheduled times. This follows a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that required the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate to vacate the building. After local authorities pushed for enforcement in late 2025, the premises were officially handed over in May 2026. The cathedral subsequently hosted its first liturgy in June and began welcoming school visitors shortly after.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇺🇦 Ukraine·
A memorial art exhibition titled 'Icons on Ammo Boxes' opened in Lviv, Ukraine, at the Garrison Church of Saints Peter and Paul. The project, initiated in 2014, displays icons painted on wooden crates used for military ammunition in combat zones. Regional administration head Maksym Kozitskyi stated the event coincides with the upcoming Day of Remembrance for Ukraine's defenders. Artists Sonya Atlantova and the Klimenko brothers created the works to transform symbols of war into images of hope. During the ceremony, the Dudarik choir performed, and families of fallen soldiers from the State Special Transport Service received posthumous awards.
RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇮🇹 Italy·
Diplomats from 30 countries gathered in Rome to pray for peace in Ukraine, according to the press service of the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom. The liturgy was led by Apostolic Administrator Grigoriy Komar, with Archbishop Michel Jalagh and Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Yurash in attendance. Representatives from the US, EU, and numerous other nations participated at the invitation of the Ukrainian Embassy. Bishop Komar emphasized that Ukraine's independence is a divine gift requiring responsibility. The event concluded with the Ukrainian national anthem near the Taras Shevchenko monument.
Translated from Українська
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