The forcible takeover of a Catholic church in Russian-occupied territory in Tokmak, Ukraine, on Easter Sunday has been condemned as an act of “blasphemy” by the head of the Eastern Catholic community in the country, amid continuing allegations of religious persecution in areas under Moscow’s control.
The incident occurred on April 12, when clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church conducted a liturgy at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in the occupied city, according to statements from the local Catholic hierarchy. The date coincided with the celebration of Easter by Eastern Christians, one of the most significant feasts in the liturgical calendar.
The reaction came from Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the leader of the country’s largest Eastern Catholic body, who described the seizure of the church as a grave violation of both religious freedom and the sanctity of the feast. “This is blasphemy against the Risen Lord – the Prince of Peace! And on the feast of Easter, no less,” he said in an April 16 statement.
Russian forces have controlled Tokmak, a city of roughly 30,000 residents in south-central Ukraine, since the full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022 – an event widely referred to as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Authorities aligned with Moscow have repeatedly stated that religious freedom is protected in territories under their administration. However, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has reported arrests, intimidation and deportations affecting clergy and faithful in those regions.
In a subsequent video message to the faithful released on April 19, Archbishop Shevchuk said parishioners had been expelled from the church they had maintained in the absence of clergy. “With cynical deliberation, our church was seized on Easter; our faithful were expelled – people who, even without the opportunity to participate in services because they have no priest of their own, had cared for, cleaned, and visited this church,” he said, adding that the building was taken over by clergy accompanied by armed personnel.
The parish falls within the jurisdiction of the Donetsk Exarchate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which before the escalation of hostilities served tens of thousands of Catholics across eastern regions now largely under Russian occupation. Church officials said the seizure of the Tokmak parish reflected a broader pattern of pressure on communities not aligned with the Russian state.
Human rights advocates and international observers have also raised concerns about the condition of religious liberty in the conflict zone. At a conference held in March at the Catholic University of America, scholars and Church leaders reported that hundreds of places of worship across Ukraine had been damaged or destroyed since the start of the war, with dozens of clergy killed in the violence.
The incident in Tokmak follows earlier cases involving the detention of Catholic clergy in occupied territory, including two priests arrested in 2022 and later released after prolonged captivity. Church authorities said both men required medical and psychological treatment following their release.
The situation has also drawn attention from the Holy See. During a public address delivered in Kilamba on April 19, Pope Leo XIV expressed sorrow at renewed attacks in Ukraine and reiterated his appeal for peace. “I renew my call for weapons to fall silent and for the path of dialogue to be pursued,” he said, assuring the Ukrainian people of his continued prayers.
