The lawyer who defended UOC shrines in Chernihiv forcibly taken to TRC
Lawyer of the Chernihiv Eparchy of the UOC Oleksandr Shamko. Photo: news.church.ua
On October 5, 2023, military personnel forcibly took lawyer Oleksandr Shamko, who represents the Chernihiv Eparchy of the UOC (Ukrainian Orthodox Church), to a territorial military recruitment center (TRC). He had been documenting violations of the law by representatives of the Ministry of Culture during the sealing of the Holy Trinity and Transfiguration Cathedrals and the Yeletskyi Convent in Chernihiv. This information is reported by the Information and Enlightenment Department of the UOC.
The statement emphasizes that "such actions constitute a direct violation of Ukrainian legislation on the legal profession and an attempt to pressure and intimidate the believers of the Chernihiv Eparchy, who are being unlawfully deprived of world-famous Orthodox shrines."
As previously reported, on the morning of October 5, representatives of the National Architectural and Historical Reserve "Ancient Chernihiv," accompanied by law enforcement personnel, blocked the Holy Trinity and Transfiguration Cathedrals and the Yeletskyi Convent. Since February 2023, the reserve has been attempting to evict UOC communities from these shrines, and the Chernihiv Eparchy is challenging these claims in the Regional Economic Court.
Read also
Orthodox and Catholic bishops make joint visit to Mount Athos
The head of the Phanar blessed a joint pilgrimage to Mount Athos by Roman Catholic and Orthodox bishops.
UOC Kryvyi Rih Eparchy marks 30th anniversary
Metropolitan Yefrem led the anniversary Divine Liturgy in Kryvyi Rih.
Ostapenko: Everyone in UCCRO feels fine except the “FSB UOC”
The director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve called the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches “a wonderful organization.”
Khmelnytskyi Eparchy donates funds for treatment of 12-year-old girl
UOC believers raised UAH 20,000 for Anastasiia Mamchur as part of an eparchial charity campaign.
Shevchuk: We had to convince world UOC ban does not violate religious freedom
The UGCC head claims that by banning the UOC, the state is not violating religious freedom but merely protecting the Church’s faithful from Moscow propaganda.
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.