In his traditional address on the occasion of the 166th week of full-scale war in Ukraine, the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, called on religious leaders around the world to make a joint statement and join in specific actions that would contribute to ending the fighting in Ukraine.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85911
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On April 22, 2025, an important meeting took place at the Metropolitan House of the National Reserve "Saint Sophia of Kyiv" between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and members of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO). The event was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Olena Kovalska, and Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelensky.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85916
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The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has in absentia charged 14 high-ranking representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) for their involvement in attempts to "forcibly integrate Ukrainian churches into the ROC structure" in the temporarily occupied territories. According to the investigation, between 2022 and 2024, these hierarchs participated in the activities of the ROC’s Holy Synod, whose decisions allegedly aimed at changing ecclesiastical jurisdiction without the consent of believers or religious communities.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85921
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On April 22, 2025, a meeting took place between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' and His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia at the Patriarchal and Synodal Residence in the Danilov Monastery (Moscow).
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85930
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The head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, Viktor Yelensky, said that severing ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, which is required by anti-church law No. 3894, is not a betrayal of Orthodoxy. The official assured that after the clergy and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church announce their break with the ROC, they will be able to continue to practice their faith as they see fit.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85937
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On April 23, 2025, the hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Longinus (Zhar) of Bancheny, was subjected to emergency hospitalization. It is not reported what exactly caused the bishop to be hospitalized.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85939
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The Israeli Foreign Ministry first published, but then deleted the Israeli side's condolences on the death of Pope Francis. The reason for this step was the position of the head of the Vatican on Israeli military actions in Palestine, which the Pontiff criticized as “inhumane”.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85942
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The Czech Security Service claims that under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Church, Russian agents are meeting in the country. One of these “secret meetings,” according to Czech intelligence officials, took place in Karlovy Vary on the basis of a local parish of the Russian Orthodox Church.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85946
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On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the head of the American Archdiocese of Phanar, Archbishop Elpidophoros, attended a Catholic Mass in memory of Pope Francis. The event was held at St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral in New York.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85953
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On April 9, 2025, the ruling bishop of the Ovruch Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Vissarion, issued a decree banning the rector of the Holy Cross Church in the village of Kalynivka, Korosten district, Zhytomyr region, Priest Vadim Hvozd, from ministry. The reason for the ban was the priest's falling into schism. On April 8, the priest joined the OCU.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85957
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On April 24, 2025, Archpriest Oleksii Kuznetsov, a cleric of the Sumy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, was killed while carrying out his pastoral mission in a combat zone. He served as a military chaplain and psychologist in the 252nd Separate Battalion of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85961
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No mass transition to the OCU in Rivne region, says MP
Ukrainian MP Solomiia Bobrovska stated that "despite the full-scale war," there has been no significant shift of religious communities from the UOC to the OCU in the Rivne region. According to her, "the structure subordinated to the Russian Orthodox Church" still holds strong positions in the area. She made these comments during a broadcast on the Suspilne TV channel.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85967
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“Metropolitan” of Poltava and Kremenchuk of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Fedir (Bubniuk), made strong statements in an interview with local journalists, sharply criticizing those who maintain an indifferent stance — particularly regarding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85974
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On Bright Monday, April 21, 2025, the Archangel Michael Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the village of Stavchany, Chernivtsi region, was seized by OCU activists with the support of a cleric from another village.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85983
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In his Paschal message this year, Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus once again drew attention to the ongoing Turkish occupation of part of the island, which has lasted for over 50 years. He emphasized that, despite numerous sufferings and hardships, the Greek people of Cyprus do not lose their faith, as the Resurrection of Christ is a symbol of victory over death and justice over evil. The message was published on the website of Orthodoxia News Agency.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85991
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The President of Estonia, Alar Karis, refused to sign the amendments to the Church and Religious Communities Law, stating that they contradict the Constitution of the country. He emphasized that the proposed changes restrict the freedom of associations and religious beliefs, which is a violation of fundamental rights and freedoms.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=86004
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Archbishop Markell of Bălți and Fălești has issued a strong call for the protection of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, noting that Moldovan authorities are actively persecuting clergy due to their pilgrimage trips. In his statement, the archbishop emphasized that it is not only trips to Russia that have triggered the persecution, but also political pressure on the Church through fines and reprisals against clergy for their religious activities.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=85998
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Yuriy Chornomorets, a supporter and lobbyist of the OCU in the media, religious scholar and member of the Sophia Brotherhood, said that Orthodox clergy who do not have a canonical connection with the head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, have no right to act on the territory of Ukraine. Chornomorets added that the head of the OCU should consider anathematizing all hierarchs and clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and demand their expulsion from the country.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=86012
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April 24 marked the one-year anniversary of the detention of the hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Arseny of Sviatohirsk. The bishop has been in the pre-trial detention center in Dnipro for a year after he was detained by the SSU and served with a suspicion of committing a criminal offense.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=86014
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who signed the scandalous anti-church law No. 3894 aimed at banning the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, claims that no one in Ukraine “banned or closed anyone.” The head of state said that there is no pressure on the Church in the country, and the government is simply getting rid of Russia's control over religious structures within Ukraine.
https://raskolam-net.info/en/?p=86027
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