OCU priest holds services during occupation of Kherson region

Roman Bilyi, a priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine from the Kherson region, held services during the occupation.

This is stated in the story of Suspilne.

The priest noted that he was in the village from the very beginning of the occupation to the end. He held a service every Sunday and holiday. It was not canceled.

"Many people came to church because it was hard. It was scary, but also hard on the soul. But churches somehow united people. Our troops were already 4 kilometers away. So we waited for 7 months," said Roman Bilyi.

According to him, at the beginning of the occupation, more than a thousand people lived in the village. But because of the fighting, many young people left with their children, leaving only about 200 residents in the village. People stayed despite the danger because they had nowhere else to go and did not want to leave their property behind.

"Just before Easter last year, a tank shell came and destroyed my house. I was left homeless, but life goes on. I never regret it because, most importantly, no one was hurt. Thank God, everyone is alive," said the priest.

Despite the difficulties, he continues his ministry, uniting the community around the church, but remotely, as he has temporarily moved to the Ternopil region. However, Roman Bilyi promises to return to the Kherson region after the victory.

Meanwhile, in the village of Naddnipryanske, Kherson region, a religious community decided to join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, leaving the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate.

This is the sixth religious community in the Kherson region to choose the OCU. Previously, communities in Khreshchenivka, Osokorivka, Myrolyubivka, Vysoke, and Antonivka took this step. Before the start of Russia's large-scale aggression, 291 churches of the Moscow Patriarchate operated in the region. Today, six of them have decided to change their church affiliation.

Intent.Insight discussed the relationship between church and state with Archpriest Theodore Orobets of the OCU. During the discussion, it was stated that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is ready to accept all parishes that are part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) into its ranks, but with certain conditions.

Ірина Глухова