About 25 miles from the Russian frontline, Ukrainian Catholics in Zaporizhzhia are helping people displaced from occupied territories. Church members deliver aid to Ukrainian troops and frontline villages. Nuns offer comfort, especially to children fleeing war. Sister Lukia Murashko, head of the Order of Saint Basil the Great monastery, says children seek warmth and safety.
The monastery hosts displaced families in a cheerful space adorned with Ukrainian flags and cards from soldiers. In June, nuns baked a cake for Evhen, a 15-year-old refugee from Melitopol now living in a hostel.
Catholic Growth in Eastern Ukraine
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, loyal to the Vatican, counts over 4 million members, making it Ukraine’s largest Catholic branch. While Orthodox Christianity remains dominant, its popularity has declined amid tensions over Moscow ties. A 2024 Razumkov Centre study shows Catholics now make up 12% of the population.
Traditionally strong in western Ukraine, Catholicism has grown in the east, much of which Russia claims. In Zaporizhzhia city, membership growth prompted the expansion of the wooden St. Volodymyr chapel.
Russian Crackdown on the Church
After occupying much of Zaporizhzhia region in 2022, Russia banned the Ukrainian Catholic Church and its charities, accusing them of aiding foreign intelligence and storing weapons. Priests reported raids on services, fingerprinting worshippers, and expulsions.
Two Greek Catholic priests arrested in Berdiansk in 2022 were freed in a 2024 prisoner exchange. The church denies weapons charges.
Religion and the War
Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church has blessed the invasion, calling it a “Holy War.” Ukraine has banned the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, accusing it of Moscow loyalty, which it denies.
The International Religious Freedom and Belief Alliance says Russian forces have killed 67 clergy and damaged over 630 religious buildings since the invasion began. Russia calls such reports biased.
A Church in Exile
Since 2014, the Ukrainian Catholic Donetsk Exarchate has operated from Zaporizhzhia, with 36 of its 77 parishes under Russian control. Former bishop Stepan Meniok recalls being driven from Donetsk and hearing countless stories of loss.
Father Oleksandr Bohomaz says Russia sees the church as a threat for opposing the occupation. “We stand with the people,” he said.
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Ukraine’s Catholics tend to faithful driven out by Russian occupation
Photo by Maksym Tymchyk on Unsplash
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