Lviv City Council transfers plot where UOC church was demolished to OCU

The plot on Chervonoi Kalyny Avenue in Lviv, where the UOC church stood (right). Photo: tvoemisto.tv

On August 23, 2023, the Lviv City Council decided to approve the land management project for allocating a plot of land and to transfer permanent use rights to the OCU parish for the plot on Chervonoi Kalyny Avenue, where St. Vladimir's Church of the UOC was demolished in April. This was reported by the city's official website.

The decision was made without discussion during the council session, supported by 39 deputies and the city mayor, Andriy Sadovyi. Six deputies present did not vote.

According to the documents, the OCU plans to build the Transfiguration Cathedral on the 0.764-hectare plot.

As previously reported, the St. Vladimir's UOC parish community faced long-term harassment, with the church being targeted for demolition multiple times and subjected to arson twice. On April 6, 2023, the church was demolished by an excavator following a decision by the city authorities. Additionally, municipal workers sawed down the cross that stood by the church and handed over church property to OCU representatives.

The parish rector, Archpriest Volodymyr Kuzio, commented to the UOJ that the church was built legally: the UOC community received the land plot by a city council decision in 1991. The neighboring church, currently used by the OCU, was also built by the canonical Church's believers. A court decision confirming that this church belongs to the UOC has not been enforced.

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