UOC believers of Bortnychi pray outside church fence on their feast day

The UOC Intercession parish at the Liturgy on their feast day. Photo: news.church.ua

On October 14, 2023, on the feast day of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the community of the seized UOC Intercession Church in the Bortnychi district of Kyiv prayed behind the church fence, reports the UOC Information and Educational Department.

The Divine Liturgy was led by the church's rector, Archpriest Oleksiy Hodun. He was concelebrated by the clergy of the parish and visiting priests.

During the service, the participants offered fervent prayers for peace and deliverance from the enemy, the Ukrainian people, authorities, and the military, as well as for those affected by the war and those who assist them.

The report notes that the supporters of the OCU who seized the church do not conduct any "services" there themselves, and even on the feast day, the church was empty.

As previously reported, the authorities illegally re-registered the UOC Intercession parish in Bortnychi to the OCU based on the "decision" of a raiders' meeting organized by OCU "priest" Vitaliy Matiyashchuk. On September 5, 2023, a group of raiders, led by Matiyashchuk, cut down the locks and seized the church.

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