RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Orthodox still fighting Catholics over church buildings in Ukraine

PARISH OF MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE IN TRANSCARPATHIA OF UKRAINE PREVENTED BAILIFFS FROM EXECUTING COURT ORDER FOR RETURN OF CHURCH TO GREEK CATHOLICS

Portal-Credo.Ru, 10 May 2017

 

Representatives of the parish of the UPTsMP [Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate] in Irlyava of the Transcarpathian province of Ukraine once again on 5 May did not permit bailiffs to enter the church building, Religiia v Ukraine reports.

 

The bailiffs arrived at the church for executing the decision of the Supreme Economic Court of Ukraine, which had confirmed the right of ownership of the church building by the Greek Catholic parish.

 

Last year, Bishop Milan, the head of the Mukachevo diocese of the Greek Catholic church, which is not a member of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGKTs) and maintains autonomy within the framework of the Catholic church, visited the parish of the Holy Prophet Elijah in Irlyava, which was forced to conduct services in the church yard. "Despite the decision of the Transcarpathian provincial economic court and the Lvov court transferring the church of the Prophet Elijah to its legal owner, the Greek Catholic parish, the Orthodox parish under the leadership of clergy did not pay attention to the law of Ukraine," a report of the Mukachevo diocese of GKTs says.

 

The Greek Catholic church in Irlyava was built in 1881. Upon the arrival of soviet rule, the church was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate [RPTsMP] for its use. Ukrainian courts returned the church to its historical owner, but believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow patriarchate do not want to release the church building.

 

A similar situation developed in the village of Dubovoe of the Tyachev district of Transcarpathian province. And in the village of Dubrovka of the same province, in the historic church of the Greek Catholics, which was taken from them by the soviet authorities for use by the RPTsMP, the Greek Catholics have acquired only the right of alternating services with the parish of the UPTsMP. (tr. by PDS, posted 10 May 2017)


Russia Religion News Current News Items

Editorial disclaimer: RRN does not intend to certify the accuracy of information presented in articles. RRN simply intends to certify the accuracy of the English translation of the contents of the articles as they appeared in news media of countries of the former USSR.

If material is quoted, please give credit to the publication from which it came. It is not necessary to credit this Web page. If material is transmitted electronically, please include reference to the URL, http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/.