Lisniky. During Curfew, OCU Raiders Seized the Church

Transfiguration of the Lord Church (UOC)

Address: Kyiv Oblast, village of Lisniky, 64A Vatutin St.

The UOC Transfiguration Church in the village of Lisniky became one of the targets of OCU Metropolitan of Pereiaslav-Vyshnevy Alexander Drabynko.

With the help of Drabynko's representatives, a group of raiders organized a falsification of the church's documents in the village.

A criminal proceeding was opened in connection with the document falsification, and the church community filed a lawsuit to contest the illegal re-registration.

This did not prevent the OCU criminal group from organizing an attack on the church.

On April 7, 2023, the rector of the UOC Transfiguration Church in the village of Lisniky, Archpriest Ioann Nadych, reported that OCU raiders were preparing a crime.

The clergyman stated that on April 8, 2023, a meeting of the territorial community was being planned in the village, at which a group of activists would falsify documents pertaining to the church.

"On the eve of the Annunciation feast, so-called 'assemblies' (April 8) were announced throughout the village of Lisniky regarding the transfer of our parish to OCU governance.
This assembly is not authorized by our parish. This assembly has no relation to our parish whatsoever.
This assembly is neither lawful nor legitimate. Moreover, it was proclaimed in violation of the law on martial law...
We ask that, if possible, you support our prayer vigil in defense of our community's rights through your prayers.
God's mercy to all who protect our Church!" — said Father Ioann.

(Source: the "DOZOR on the First Cossack" project)

From early in the morning on April 8, 2023, parishioners of the UOC Transfiguration Church in the village of Lisniky gathered for a worship service.

Literally across the road from the church, a group of OCU activists — led by individuals working for OCU Metropolitan of Pereiaslav-Vyshnevy Alexander Drabynko — organized an illegal assembly.

After the prayer service, the church's parishioners and clergy went together to the site of the assembly to protest against these actions.

Believers were deliberately prevented from reviewing the raiders' documents so that they would not discover the falsification.
Clashes broke out in the square between the activists and the Orthodox residents of the village.

The OCU raiders resorted to violence and provocations.

The religious community of the Transfiguration Church, witnessing the complete disregard for the law, returned to the church, where they once again unanimously reaffirmed their loyalty to the UOC.

(Source: the "DOZOR on the First Cossack" project)

On January 10, 2024, a group of OCU raiders came to the UOC Transfiguration Church in the village of Lisniky.
Tearing off the notice about the ongoing court proceedings from the door, the raiders cut the locks on the church. Under police cover, the church was seized.

Court proceedings regarding the illegal re-registration of the parish are ongoing. A criminal proceeding has been opened in connection with the falsification of documents by OCU raiders.
These facts did not stop the criminals. Even the church house — in which UOC believers had been providing shelter to military servicemembers — was seized.
(Source: the "DOZOR on the First Cossack" project)

On January 14, 2024, the first liturgy was held following the seizure of the UOC Transfiguration Church.

Parishioners prayed in a private home provided by a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier — also a UOC parishioner. Two months before these events, his brother, who had been living in that house, was killed at the front.

He was also a member of the religious community of the UOC Transfiguration Church.

(Source: UOJ)