UOC community in Zadubrivka keeps defending their temple from OCU raiders

Rector of St. Michael's Church of the UOC in the village of Zadubrivka, Chernivtsi region, Archpriest Vitaly Durov. Photo: a video screenshot from the Facebook page of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC.

Archpriest Vitaly Durov, rector of the St. Michael's Church of the UOC in the village of Zadubrivka, Chernivtsi region, appealed to his parishioners and believers not to despair after the decision of the Zastavna District Court, which refused to cancel the re-registration of the parish to the OCU, reports the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy on its Facebook page.

Father Vitaly said that the statements on the OCU media resources about their alleged victory do not correspond to reality since the court decision was made only on May 12 and there is still no text that formulates the reason for the refusal to satisfy the claim of the Chernivtsi-Bukovyna Eparchy of the UOC. “There is no full text of the decision and it is not known why the judge refused to satisfy the claim. These may be different reasons, including technical ones,” said the rector of the UOC church.

He also noted that the court's decision has not come into force and will not come into effect in the near future since it will be appealed at the appellate instance. And, as practice shows, the courts of appeal or cassation can overturn the decision of the court of first instance and decide in favour of the OCU.

“The court's decision has not yet gained legal force, and we will definitely file an appeal,” said Archpriest Vitaly Durov, rector of St. Michael's Church in the village of Zadubrivka. “Therefore, for our faithful, everything remains as it was: we continue to pray in the church, we continue to be on duty, strengthen our prayers, spiritual labours and deeds, and take an example from the Monk Job of Pochaev, who was in litigation for more than a dozen years, and in the end, he won in his intentions to protect the shrine in the Pochaev Lavra. Therefore, we do not give up and will continue to defend our right to pray in our church."

As reported, the court sided with the OCU in the case of the “transfer” of the community in the village of Zadubrivka.

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