UOC MP community in Bukovyna transfers to Orthodox Church of Ukraine

Residents of the Shishkivtsi village, Kitsman district, jointly with their priest decided to move from the UOC Moscow Patriarchate to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

About a hundred people gathered in the church of the Nativity of the Theotokos and unanimously decided to move from the UOC-MP to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Serhiy Bukharov, chief specialist of the Department for Cultural Heritage Protection, Nationalities and Religions of Chernivtsi Oblast State Administration, said this to ACC News Agency.

"This morning, at the meeting, all those present, except for one person, voted to join the One Local Church, which was supported by the priest who held the meeting. This is still the first community in the area that has taken such a step. The congregation was preparing to this from the summer, people collected signatures for the establishment of the Local Church, and then waited for the Unification Council,” said Bukharov.

This is a historic event, which was long awaited in the village, local residents say. It was held under the chairmanship of Archbishop Herman of Chernivtsi and Khotyn, and the rector of the church, archpriest Dmytro Khodan, who has been rector of this church for 30 years.