ROC reports registration of three UOC eparchies in Donbas by RF laws

Bishop Savva (Tutunov). Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Russian authorities have registered the Lugansk, Donetsk, and Gorlovka eparchies of the UOC in accordance with Russian legislation, reports Bishop Savva (Tutunov), the vicar of the Moscow Patriarch.

According to him, since these eparchies operate "on the territory of Russia," they "must be legally formalized as required by Russian legislation".

The bishop also stated that communication between the eparchies in the territories not controlled by Ukraine and “the church Kyiv is obviously difficult, so they address all the questions they used to ask the Metropolitan of Kyiv to the Patriarch”.

When asked whether the Holy Synod of the ROC has considered the situation of the Lugansk, Donetsk, and Gorlovka eparchies, the bishop said that "there have been no Synod meetings yet".

Earlier, the “DNR leader" Denis Pushilin stated that the clergy of the two eparchies of the UOC, Donetsk and Mariupol, as well as Gorlovka and Slaviansk, expressed their desire to join the Russian Orthodox Church.

Read also

Lavra reserve head estimates damage to Dormition Cathedral at €15 million

Maksym Ostapenko said restoring the Dormition Cathedral would take at least a couple of years and require major funding.

DESS official says state should not govern the Church

A DESS official called for cooperation between the state and the Church for the benefit of citizens.

Poltava court upholds mobilization of Protestant pastor

A court in the Poltava region ruled that a prior criminal conviction and religious beliefs do not exempt a person from military service.

Ostapenko: Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra would not exist without Soviet-era reserve

The reserve director spoke about the Soviet museum’s role in saving the monastery, while stressing the need to rethink its history.

Metropolitan Anthony criticizes DESS order on Boryspil Eparchy

The UOC chancellor rejected officials’ findings, pointing to procedural violations in the DESS review.

Two more parishes in Sloviansk reregistered under OCU

The organizer behind the transfer of UOC communities in Sloviansk said the reregistration of churches would continue.