During the year, as a result of the seizures, the Kyiv diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church lost 23 churches. Another four liturgical buildings were lost during the hostilities. This was announced by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kyiv and All Ukraine in a report at the annual diocesan meeting of the clergy on December 14, 2022, Pravlife writes.

According to the Archpastor, in the Kyiv diocese, without the knowledge of the religious community, illegal re-registration of 41 parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was carried out.

“Of these, 22 churches have already been seized by representatives of the so-called OCU, and 19 parishes continue to defend their rights in the courts, enduring humiliation and violence,” said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry.

Also, the metropolitan church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “The Sign” of the Solomensky deanery was seized and transferred to schism by force.

Four parishes, headed by their abbots, moved to the OCU, voluntarily changing their confessional affiliation.

“Unfortunately, the church-chapel in honor of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr, which operated under the Committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, was dismantled,” added His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry.

The Primate of the UOC also said that during the active hostilities in the Kyiv region, 4 churches were destroyed, 15 were damaged. In particular, they completely burned down: the Nikolaevsky temple in the village Zagaltsy, the Exaltation of the Cross Church in the village of Krasyatichi, the Church of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called in the city of Gostomel, the Assumption Church (furnished premises) in the village Mriya.

“As of December 2022, there are 393 parishes in the Kyiv diocese (162 in Kyiv and 231 in the region). There are 471 temples in the diocese with an altar and 42 rooms equipped for worship. 848 clerics serve in the parishes and monasteries of the Kyiv diocese,” said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry.