On November 15, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, celebrates the anniversary of his ordination as bishop. It’s his 12th anniversary this year.
The head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (secular name Serhiy Dumenko) was born in the village of Volkovo, Ivaniv district, Odesa region, on February 3, 1979. After graduating from the Kyiv Theological Seminary and the Faculty of Philosophy at the Athens National University, in December 2007 he was ordained a monk as Epifaniy (in honor of St. Epiphanius of Cyprus) at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv.
On January 6, 2008, he was ordained a hierodeacon in the St. Volodymyr’s Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv. The ordination was performed by His Holiness Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and All Ukraine.
On January 20, 2008 he was ordained a hieromonk in St. Volodymyr’s Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv. The ordination was performed by His Holiness Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and All Ukraine.
On March 16, 2008 he was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite.
On October 21, 2009, he was elected Bishop of Vyshhorod, Vicar of the Kyiv Diocese.
On November 15, 2009, he was ordained a bishop in St. Volodymyr’s Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv. The ordination was performed by His Holiness Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and All Russia-Ukraine, Metropolitan Dymytriy (Rudiuk) of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky and Boryspil, Archbishop Oleksandr (Reshetniak) of Bila Tserkva, Archbishop Mykhail (Zinkevych) of Lutsk and Volyn, Bishop Lavrentiy (Myhovych) of Kharkiv and Bohodukhiv, Bishop Onufriy (Khavruk) of Vinnytsia and Bratslav, Bishop Ilarion (Protsyk) of Chernihiv and Nizhyn, and Bishop Yevstratiy (Zorya) of Vasylkiv.
On January 23, 2012, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.
On June 28, 2013, he was promoted to Metropolitan.
Today, Ukraine’s fifth President Petro Poroshenko was the first to congratulate Epiphany on the anniversary of his episcopal ministry.
“For almost three years, since receiving the Tomos of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, you have been rallying the faithful around our Church. By your faithful and devoted ministry, every day you inspire Christians to remain on the righteous path. You lead them along the path of goodness, mercy, and Christian values. Today our family, as well as the whole Orthodox community, offers words of gratitude to you and sincere wishes. May the All-Merciful Lord grant you good health, mercy, and generous gifts for all your good deeds!” he wrote.
