The recent statement by bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) to the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) regarding the dismissal of Metropolitan Ilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol as head of the Donetsk Diocese does not represent the majority of UOC-MP bishops.
That was as noted by Viktor Yelenskyi, head of Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, in comments to Ukrinform.
According to Yelenskyi, 30 bishops signed the statement, an amount he described as “not insignificant, but not a majority.” He remarked that the motivations behind the statement remain unclear, suggesting it could either be a “final straw” for certain bishops or simply a “corporate conflict” wherein part of the UOC-MP hierarchy seeks to protect one of their own. Nonetheless, he noted that issues raised in the statement, such as the violation of UOC-MP autonomy within the Russian Church, may resonate positively with clergy and parishioners who have long desired a break from Moscow.
Yelenskyi also highlighted longstanding criticism towards the UOC-MP episcopate for their passive response to the annexation of their dioceses, including those in Crimea, Luhansk, Sieverskodonetsk, Donetsk, and Mariupol.
When asked about the stance of Metropolitan Onufrii, head of the UOC-MP, on the matter, Yelenskyi replied that “it would be better to ask Onufrii himself about this; however, given that his signature is absent from the statement, he obviously does not share its sentiment.”
“Society expects not discussions between the synods of the UOC (MP) and the Russian Orthodox Church but an unequivocal departure of the UOC (MP) from the ROC. There are many canonical and purely evangelical grounds for this. But if theologians still require some justification, for ordinary people it is obvious that they cannot remain within a church whose leader openly declares the destruction of Ukrainian culture, Ukraine’s identity, and the Ukrainian people. There is simply no way to justify staying within this structure,” Yelenskyi added.
The dismissal of Metropolitan Ilarion, a figure respected within the UOC-MP hierarchy and known for his longstanding role in Donetsk before the occupation, might have spurred this response, Yelensky suggested. According to him, Ilarion is a figure close to many members of the UOC (MP) episcopate.
“He is someone who has led the diocese in Donetsk region for a long time, had strong connections within the Ukrainian episcopate and the Donetsk establishment before the occupation of this territory, and also enjoyed a certain authority,” he noted.
At the same time, the official emphasized that the activities of UOC (MP) representatives should be viewed within a broader context.
Yelensky also observed that the public seeks a more assertive stance from Ukrainian bishops, particularly in light of Russian Patriarch Kirill’s support of the war and his endorsement of actions like blessing weapons. He characterized these actions as “jihad-like” and in clear violation of Christian doctrine, citing Kirill’s assertions that dying in Ukraine absolves all sins.
As reported, the archbishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Iona Cherepanov, published a statement on Facebook from the archbishops of the UOC (MP) regarding the actions of the synod of the Russian Orthodox Church concerning the dioceses of the UOC (MP) located in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The signatories demanded the cancellation of the decision of the ROC synod regarding the “removal of Metropolitan Ilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol from the administration of the Donetsk diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and sending him into retirement.”
In their address to the ROC synod, the UOC (MP) archbishops emphasized that “the anti-canonical removal of Metropolitan Ilarion, a Ukrainian by origin,… a long-serving archpastor in Donetsk, and the appointment of a Russian archbishop in his place indicates Moscow’s desire to annex the canonical territory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the aim of destroying its independence and autonomy.”
The UOC (MP) archbishops called on the ROC synod to “renounce the aggressive church policy towards the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its long-suffering flock, to respect the borders of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
