His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry celebrates his 75th jubilee

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine. Photo: UOC

November 5 is the birthday of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine.

Orest Berezovsky (the name of the future Primate) was born in 1944 in the village of Korytnoye, Vashkovsky (currently – Vizhnitsky) District of Chernovtsy Region to the family of a priest.

In 1961, after he finished school, he began to study at Chernovtsy Technical School, then he worked in the construction organizations of the region. In 1966 he entered the General Technical Faculty of Chernovtsy University. After three years of study, he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary.

Two years before graduation, Orest became one of the brothers of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and on March 18, 1971 he became a monk. When tonsured, he received the name Onuphry, in honor of the Monk Onuphrius the Great.

On June 20 of the same year, monk Onuphry was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon, and on May 29, 1972 – to the rank of hieromonk. In the same year he entered the Moscow Theological Academy, which he graduated in 1978 with the degree of Candidate of Theology.

In 1980 he was elevated to the rank of abbot. On August 28, 1984, he was appointed rector of the Transfiguration church of the Athos Representation in the village of Lukino (Peredelkino Station, Moscow Region). On June 28, 1985, the future Primate was appointed dean of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and on Christmas of the following year, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

From July 20, 1988 to November 1990, he was an abbot of the Pochaev Lavra. He was chirotonized as a bishop on December 9, 1990. The hierarch was consecrated by the former Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Filaret Denisenko, who later backslid into schism and headed the Kiev Patriarchate.

In 1992, Chernovtsy Bishop Onuphry opposed the uncanonical actions of the then Metropolitan Filaret. In repayment, Filaret deprived His Grace Onuphry of his bishop’s throne in Chernovtsy. However, the clergy and believers defended their pastor and soon in April Bishop Onuphry was reinstated at the Chernovtsy Cathedra.

In 1994, Vladyka was elevated to the rank of archbishop; in 2000 he became a metropolitan. On August 13, 2014, by secret ballot, he was elected Primate of the UOC.

The UOJ congratulates His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry on his jubilee and wishes him many happy returns of the day!

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