The largest religious community in the Poltava region changed jurisdiction from the UOC-MP to the OCU

The religious society of the Annunciation Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) in the city of Lokhvitsa at a meeting on Sunday, June 4, voted for a change of subordination and for joining the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). This was reported by the Poltava diocese of the OCU.

“The assembly voted to terminate the powers of the rector of the Church of the Annunciation, Mikhail Tovstyak, and elected a new rector, an OCU priest. The religious community also applied to law enforcement agencies to clarify the legal status of the Lokhvitsky Annunciation Church building and the land plot under it. Since 2009, this temple has been a monument of history and architecture XIX century, the oldest stone building in the city – is in private ownership,” said of the statement.

The Poltava Regional Council has three times failed to vote on an appeal to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and territorial communities of the region to terminate lease agreements or use of religious organizations that do not comply with the requirements of the laws of Ukraine.

Specifically, in the last vote, which took place on May 30, 32 deputies out of 84 deputies voted in favor.

In 2023, three religious communities in the Poltava region – in Kremenchug, in the village of Beletskovka and Novoorzhitskoye – changed their church jurisdiction from the UOC (MP) to the OCU. In addition, on June 4, the Annunciation parish of OCU joined them.

The Poltava diocese of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has about 240 parishes, the UOC diocese – 182 parishes.

The commission of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy on the acceptance and transfer of state property of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra completed its work and signed a certificate of acceptance to the National Reserve. The UOC-MP must leave the Lavra within three working days.