Canonical Orthodox Christian believers of the village Nesterovtsy (Ukraine) are launching a lawsuit to regain the church seized by Kiev Patriarchate
March 30, 2017 – The Khmelnitsky oblast (regional) court is considering the lawsuit launched by the parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in the village of Nesterovtsy. The parish wants to have their church returned to them by the Kiev Patriarchate, who seized it in June 2016. A former priest of the UOC-MP who joined the Kiev Patriarchate is conducting the services in the church. He was excluded from the canonical Orthodox Church for amoral behavior.
Due to the seizure, the parish conducts church services inside a former sewing workshop.
The services of the Kiev Patriarchate usually attract about 5-6 people, whereas those of the canonical Church attract about 30 people.
The UOC-MP has already won the lawsuit on an administrative level. The court than transferred the case to a different instance in order to conduct a criminal lawsuit.
The situation is currently being monitored by the Union of Orthodox Journalists.
Sources