The Legacy of Filaret: Online Patriarchate, St. Vladimir's Cathedral, and the FSB's Influence

The death of Patriarch Filaret marks the conclusion of a pivotal chapter in Ukrainian Orthodoxy. His passing is not merely a personal loss; it signifies the end of an era defined by his leadership and influence. Filaret, who was ordained as a bishop for both of Ukraine's largest Orthodox churches, played a crucial role in shaping the religious landscape of the nation. He ordained Metropolitan Onufriy (Berezovsky) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in December 1990 and Metropolitan Epifaniy (Dumenko) of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine in November 2009. Intriguingly, both ordinations took place at St. Vladimir's Cathedral in Kyiv, where Filaret had served since 1960, navigating through three different church affiliations during his tenure.

In December 2019, Filaret also ordained Archimandrite Nikodim as a bishop in the same cathedral. Just two days after Filaret's death, Nikodim declared himself the 'Patriarch of Kyiv.' However, this ordination is not recognized by any Orthodox jurisdiction, including the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), as Filaret had entered into a severe conflict with the newly established united church and proclaimed the 'revival' of his Kyiv Patriarchate. 'If there is a patriarch, then there is a patriarchate,' Filaret stated in June 2019, justifying his decision to effectively split from the OCU.

Following Filaret's death, many within the Orthodox community hoped for a potential reconciliation that could mend the unnatural divide preventing the various factions of the former Kyiv Patriarchate from coexisting within a single local church. However, the initial hours after his passing revealed that Filaret had seemingly bequeathed not only his position but also a portion of his unquenchable ambitions to his appointed successors. Consequently, there was little room for open dialogue rooted in love and forgiveness among the clergy he had consecrated.

Instead of seeking unity, Nikodim organized what may be the world's first 'online council' and, in violation of his own statutes and traditions, proclaimed himself the Patriarch of Kyiv. The OCU took measures to ensure that this 'online patriarch' would find no place to conduct services in Kyiv. The unfolding events within Ukrainian Orthodoxy following the death of the honorary Patriarch Filaret raise questions about the legitimacy of Nikodim's claims and the future of the church.

On March 21, Filaret's open casket was displayed in the main cathedral of the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, where OCU head Metropolitan Epifaniy officiated the service, allowing the public to pay their respects. Meanwhile, in a dimly lit room, four bishops from the so-called Kyiv Patriarchate unexpectedly announced a significant decision on camera. The scale of their declarations starkly contrasted with the modest setting, as they claimed to have held an 'extraordinary meeting of the Holy Synod of the UOC KP,' during which they elected 'Patriarch of Kyiv' Nikodim as Filaret's successor.

For those unfamiliar with the intricacies of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, this flurry of names, titles, jurisdictions, and appointments may raise numerous questions about the current state of affairs. However, for those who closely follow the life of the church, the questions multiply. To understand the essence of these events, it is crucial to clarify the nature of the church that has proclaimed Nikodim as its head. Does the Kyiv Patriarchate even exist as a legal entity? Spoiler alert: it does not.

When we refer to Patriarch Filaret as a prominent figure, it is not merely rhetorical. His journey as the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church began in 1966. When he took charge, the church was a shadow of its former self, having suffered from years of Stalinist repression and Soviet terror, stripped of its property and a significant portion of its clergy. Many of the remaining senior clergymen often competed not in spiritual achievements but in ranks within the state security apparatus.

In 1992, during the scandalous Kharkiv Council, where Moscow removed Filaret following his attempts to achieve autocephaly, the UOC had already emerged as one of the most powerful Orthodox churches within the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and possibly the world. The betrayal at Kharkiv was a personal blow for Filaret, as most of the signatories had been consecrated as bishops by him.

However, it was not in Filaret's nature to dwell on grievances for long. He quickly organized a coalition of his supporters from the Moscow Patriarchate and part of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church, leading to the establishment of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate in 1992. Initially, Filaret served as the deputy to Patriarch Volodymyr, and after his death, he was elected the head of this unrecognized church.

The Kyiv Patriarchate became the primary foundation for the formation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2018, which received the Tomos of autocephaly on January 6, 2019. On the same day in December 2018, during the unification council, the Kyiv Patriarchate was dissolved as a religious organization, and all its clergy and believers joined the newly established Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The only challenge in the process of obtaining ecclesiastical independence for Filaret himself was that Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople refused to grant the Tomos if Filaret were to lead the new united church, given his controversial reputation in the global Orthodox community. Thus, when delegates at the unification council prayed to the Holy Spirit for guidance in making the right choice, Patriarch Filaret, in his characteristic categorical manner, decided to 'assist' divine providence in ensuring the correct candidate was chosen.