UOC priest: COVID-19 provokes increase in number of parishioners in Crimea

Priest Valentin Melnik. Photo: zhenmirkerch.church.ua

Over the past year and a half, the number of parishioners in the temples of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Crimea has noticeably increased, the rector of the Kerch Church of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women of the Feodosia Eparchy of the UOC, Priest Valentin Melnyk, told news.allcrimea.net.

He believes that this is due to the coronavirus pandemic, when the number of sick people who need support during the trial has increased, and the Church for them is a kind of "spiritual clinic". “Recently there have been more parishioners. Also, there are significantly more of those who want to be baptized. They even come from other regions,” Father Valentin said.

At the same time, the priest noted that fewer people began to attend church holidays due to quarantine restrictions.

As reported, a new UOC church was laid in Sevastopol in the village of Lyubimovka.

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.