Orthodox Church wants to build its own church in Milovice, the number of believers has increased

Milovice - The Orthodox Church wants to build its own church in Milovice in the Nymburk region. The number of believers has increased in recent years since the start of the war in Ukraine and the arrival of refugees. However, there was already a significant minority of Volhynian Czechs in the town, who are Orthodox Christians. Last week, church representatives ceremoniously blessed the commencement of construction and consecrated the Cross of the future temple of the Ascension of the Lord. It could be completed within five years; the project is currently underway. The church does not yet know the cost but expects most of the funds to be contributed by believers in a collection. Milovice’s Orthodox priest Volodymyr Felcan told ČTK.

"We have many believers, and we would like to have our own church," he said. According to him, 80 to 150 believers attend services, and they currently rent the Catholic Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria. The new church will be located on Italian Street, near the exit from the town. The study of the modern building was prepared by the studio Stempel & Tesař architects.

The intention was significantly supported by cooperation with the town, as the representatives approved a land exchange in the spring, allowing the eparchy (the equivalent of a Roman Catholic diocese) to acquire a larger plot of land. "For many years, there was no willingness or desire from the city for the Orthodox to establish their own church, until now, and the support came from across the political spectrum," Mayor Milan Pour (ANO) told ČTK.

In the 1990s, Milovice welcomed a larger number of Volhynian Czechs, who, according to Pour, assimilated in the town. Others came after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. "Once the borders opened, another large group of relatives arrived, who had previously applied for asylum," he added. He estimates that there are currently around 1,000 Volhynian Czechs and Ukrainians in Milovice.