"Unification Council" elects "Metropolitan" Epiphany as head of OCU
"Metropolitan" Epiphany has become the head of the OCU
The “Unification Council” after two rounds of voting has elected "Metropolitan" Epiphany (UOC KP) as the head of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
"Bishop" Epiphany of the UOC KP was elected the head of the autocephalous Church. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko announced the creation of the "Ukrainian local Orthodox autocephalous church" and introduced the new primate as the “Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine” to the assembled in Sophia’s Square.
“This day will go down in history as the day of the creation of the autocephalous Orthodox Church in Ukraine <...> This is the day of the creation of the Church as an independent structure. <...> What is this Church like? This is a church without Putin. This is the Church without Kirill, without a prayer for the Russian authorities and the Russian army,” Poroshenko said.
The 39-year-old "Metropolitan" Epiphany of Pereyaslav and Belaya Tserkov is close to the schismatics’ head Filaret and is his vicegerent. Thus, Epiphany will receive the Tomos from Patriarch Bartholomew.
Earlier, the Holy Synod of the UOC decided to consider the "Unification Council" an illegal assembly.
Read also
Moldova lacks capacity to maintain 800 temples it intends to seize from Church
According to the Minister of Culture, authorities plan to seize 800 churches from the Moldovan Church, but they lack the capability to manage them.
Court returns seized church to UOC community in Ivankiv
The appellate court declared invalid the re-registration of the UOC community of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in the town of Ivankiv.
2,800-year-old seal with biblical symbols found in Israel
Israeli archaeologists have found a stone seal from the era of Judean kings with an inscription in ancient Hebrew.
Pope warns clergy against writing AI-based sermons
The head of the Roman Catholic Church warned priests about the risks of using digital technologies in ministry.
UOC parishes abroad hold memorial services on war anniversary
Clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church abroad prayed on the fourth anniversary of the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
Persecuted UOC parish in Tovtry performs reading of Great Penitential Canon
Another Bukovynian community, deprived of its church, continues Great Lent services in an adapted facility.