The parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Archistratigus Michael sanctuary in Novostav village was created on 24.09.1991.
The building for public worship was erected in 1865 and has always been owned by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. By the Order of Ternopil Regional State Administration in 2000 the ownership of the church building in Novostav village was transferred to the parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Novostav village.
On May 26th 2014 an aggressively behaved group of individuals consisting of strangers, villagers and priests of the so called Kyiv Patriarchate under the guise of worship made an attempt to illegally seize the church building whose authorized owner as it was mentioned above is the parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Novostav village. They reasoned their actions by the fact that according to the Order of Ternopil Regional State Administration the given parish had been eliminated with the ownership delivered to them.
Illegal church seizure attempts occurred on a regular basis till the issue of illegality of the Order of Ternopil Regional State Administration had been submitted to Ternopil county administrative court.
The case was heard in the court from 11.07.2014 to 11.09.2014. During the proceeding the court of the 1st resort found out a number of law violations by civil servants and state authorities.
Alongside with the trial on August 19th 2014 representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate without any permission took off the window glass in the church and illegally went inside. Due to this on 21.11.2014 the worship didn’t take place and the sanctuary was sealed. However, despite the ruling of the court on prohibition of any illegal actions as regards the church property the congregation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate made up its own service schedule, opened the door and had an unauthorized worship.
At present the church hosts alternate worships of the two denominations – the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate though the church as it was said before is owned by the parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Novostav village. The Lviv administrative court of appeal delays handling the church case at the moment.
To learn more about religious freedom infringements committed against the UOC believers you are encouraged to consult our detailed reports and statements:
- Collection of Information Materials and Documents “Facts, Evidence and Claims Regarding Violations of the Rights of Believers and Religious Organizations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in 2014-2016”.
- Written Statement of the NGO “Public Advocacy” within the United Nations 28th Universal Periodic Review on Ukraine.
- Written Statement of the NGO “Public Advocacy” on the violations against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church within the United Nations 37-th Regular Session.
- Statement of the NGO “Public Advocacy”