Services at Church of St. George on Sunday in Lviv, Ukraine.

Services at Church of St. George on Sunday in Lviv, Ukraine. / NPR

On the day that Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Church of St. George in Lviv, in western Ukraine, posted a sign on its front gate condemning Russia.

The church belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, whose leadership has defended the Russian invasion as recently as this past Sunday.

At a key moment in services at the Church of St. George, when bearded, golden-robed priests carry bread and wine to the altar, they normally invoke the name of their bishop in Moscow, Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. But now some are refusing to say his name.

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A woman blesses herself before arriving for Sunday services.

A woman blesses herself before arriving for Sunday services. / NPR

Kseniya Kotyk fled from Kyiv with her mother to Lviv and is heading into the Church of St. George. Kotyk is named after a Russian saint. When she fled Russian bombardment, she grabbed what was most important to her: icons or statues of Russian Orthodox saints.

Kseniya Kotyk fled from Kyiv with her mother to Lviv and is heading into the Church of St. George. Kotyk is named after a Russian saint. When she fled Russian bombardment, she grabbed what was most important to her: icons or statues of Russian Orthodox saints. / NPR

On the day of the invasion, the Church of St. George, in western Ukraine, posted a sign on its front gate condemning Russia.

On the day of the invasion, the Church of St. George, in western Ukraine, posted a sign on its front gate condemning Russia. / NPR

A service at the Church of St. George in Lviv, Ukraine, is packed with worshipers praying for Ukraine on Sunday.

A service at the Church of St. George in Lviv, Ukraine, is packed with worshipers praying for Ukraine on Sunday. / NPR

Worshippers light candles at the Church of St. George in Lviv, Ukraine, on Sunday.

Worshippers light candles at the Church of St. George in Lviv, Ukraine, on Sunday. / NPR

Some parishioners of the Church of St. George in Lviv, Ukraine, said Sunday they're conflicted about whether to denounce the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. Kirill defended Russia's invasion of Ukraine as recently as this past Sunday.

Some parishioners of the Church of St. George in Lviv, Ukraine, said Sunday they're conflicted about whether to denounce the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. Kirill defended Russia's invasion of Ukraine as recently as this past Sunday. / NPR

Ukraine's Orthodox churches like the one pictured here — the Church of St. George in Lviv, Ukraine — are now fractured by Russia's invasion — and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch's defense of the invasion as recently as this past Sunday.

Ukraine's Orthodox churches like the one pictured here — the Church of St. George in Lviv, Ukraine — are now fractured by Russia's invasion — and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch's defense of the invasion as recently as this past Sunday. / NPR

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