Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Condemns Uncanonical Activities of Clergy Who Appropriated the Name of the UOC-KP

The Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) convened recently and reached a significant decision to condemn the uncanonical activities of certain clergy members who have unlawfully adopted the title of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP). This announcement was made public by OCU spokesperson Metropolitan Yevstratiy (Zorya) following the Synod's meeting on April 3.

Specifically, the Synod addressed the actions of Archimandrite Nikodim (Volodymyr Kobzar), Archimandrite Daniil (Dmytro Kudybin), Igumen Mykhailo (Mykola Kovaluk), and Hieromonk Nikon (Yuriy Hrabliuk). The Synod has initiated ecclesiastical judicial procedures against each of these clergy members, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

“It was decided to publicly notify the previously suspended clergy of the OCU—Archimandrite Nikodim (Volodymyr Kobzar), Archimandrite Daniil (Dmytro Kudybin), Igumen Mykhailo (Mykola Kovaluk), and Hieromonk Nikon (Yuriy Hrabliuk)—who have unjustifiably appropriated episcopal titles and committed numerous publicly documented offenses against canonical order and church unity. In accordance with the decision of the Holy Synod dated February 2, 2022, ecclesiastical judicial procedures have been initiated against each of them, and they have been summoned to provide explanations at the next meeting of the Holy Synod in May of this year,” the OCU's statement read.

The Synod also reminded that according to canonical law and the decisions of the OCU, the granting of any episcopal rank announced on behalf of the UOC-KP after December 15, 2018, without a decision from the OCU Synod and without the blessing of the primate, is invalid. Consequently, such individuals are not recognized as bishops and will not be acknowledged as such in the future.

This situation has escalated following the death of Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko) on March 21, when bishops of the UOC-KP, which does not recognize the Tomos of autocephaly granted to the OCU, elected Archbishop Nikodim (Volodymyr Kobzar) as the new head. This decision was made through a secret ballot at the Hierarchical Council, despite the fact that the UOC-KP was legally dissolved in 2019.

Spokesperson for the OCU, Metropolitan Yevstratiy (Zorya), emphasized that attempts to continue the activities of the UOC-KP following the death of the honorary Patriarch Filaret are illegal. “There is no separate religious organization distinct from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine under the name of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate. Unfortunately, this designation is being used unlawfully and non-canonically by a group of several dozen individuals,” the OCU spokesperson stated during a press conference at Ukrinform on April 1.

Thus, the situation surrounding the UOC-KP remains tense, and the OCU continues to take measures to uphold canonical order and church unity in Ukraine.