Golyadin, Ukraine, November 26, 2019
Photo: Facebook
The faithful of the village of Golyadin in the Volyn Province in northwestern Ukraine lost their church building to the schismatic-nationalist activists of the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” as have several other communities.
Photo: Facebook
Undeterred, they are now building a new church.
Photo: Facebook A cross was erected on the new site and consecrated recently, Fr. Alexander Cherevko, a cleric of the Vladimiry-Volyn Diocese reported on Facebook yesterday. The rite of consecration was celebrated by Archpriest Nikolia Vikhor.
The new church will be consecrated in honor of the “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Icon of the Mother of God.
The schismatic community in Golyadin was legally registered on May 24, 2019 by order of the Chairman of the Volyn Provincial State Administration. This was the first such case, with all previous registrations in favor of the schismatics being carried out by changing the statutes of the existing communities, reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists.
Unfortunately, although the church was built and used by the canonical Church since 1992, the community was never registered as a legal entity, and thus the authorities will not return to the church to the community.
Photo: Facebook
The local rector Archpriest Alexander Svinova now leads services in a private house, usually attended by 20-30 people. About the same number in Golyadin went into schism with the OCU.
Last October, OrthoChristian reported that the community in the village of Bashuki in the Ternopil Province is also building a new church to replace the one seized by schismatics.
