A confrontation unfolded in Lviv as supporters and critics clashed over the status of the Church of St. George the Victorious. Believers aligned with the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church clashed with a backer of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, during the morning vote concerning the transfer of the temple to the OCU.
Footage circulated on the UOC’s Telegram channel showing police officers separating cameramen and worshippers in or near the cathedral. The video captured loud exchanges among participants, and at one point the dispute escalated into a physical altercation, prompting a response from law enforcement to restore order.
Earlier reports indicated that demonstrators began gathering in opposition to the proposed handover of the church to the schismatic faction, voicing strong protests and dismay at the possible transfer.
Since 1992, the Church of St. George the Victorious has served as the cathedral for the Lviv diocese of the UOC. The group commonly referred to as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (OCU) traces its origins to 2018 in Kyiv, when clergy who disagreed with the Moscow Patriarchate opted to form a new body. The OCU subsequently obtained autocephaly from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The canonical status of this organization remains disputed by the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, which have not recognized the OCU. After its creation, supporters of the OCU faced ongoing tensions that included attempts to seize church properties from the canonical church, a situation reported by many observers and local communities involved in ecclesiastical affairs.