ROC Synod "retires" vicar of UOC Kyiv Metropolis

Bishop Agafon in the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: UOC press service

On October 30, 2025, the Synod of the ROC "retired" the vicar of the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC, Bishop Agafon (Opanasenko) of Kalynivka.

Journal 97 of the Synod states that "Bishop Agafon of Koktebel, vicar of the Feodosia Eparchy, submitted a request for medical leave to Bishop Ilarion of Feodosia and Kerch," "after which he stopped responding to phone calls."

The ROC Synod notes that "on July 27, 2025, it became known from open sources on the Internet that on July 23 of this year, a meeting of the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church took place in Kyiv, at which Bishop Agafon of Koktebel was appointed vicar of the Kyiv Metropolis with the title 'Kalynivka'."

Nevertheless, the ROC Synod members stated that the bishop allegedly "violates canonical order".

"In connection with the unauthorized abandonment of his place of service by Bishop Agafon of Koktebel and his departure from the Feodosia Eparchy without the knowledge of the Holy Synod and the eparchial bishop, taking into account that information from open sources about his appointment as vicar of the Kyiv Metropolis is not documented, to reprimand Bishop Agafon for violating canonical order and retire him," the text states.

It is also noted that "in the event of new circumstances or information regarding possible church offenses committed by Bishop Agafon (Opanasenko)," the ROC Synod reserves the right to "have an additional judgment".

At the same time, on the official UOC website page dedicated to Bishop Agafon, it is stated that "on July 23, 2025, the Holy Synod of the UOC elected Bishop Agafon of Koktebel, vicar of the Feodosia Eparchy, as Bishop of Kalynivka, vicar of the Kyiv Metropolis."

As reported, that the ROC Synod appointed a "new chancellor of the Crimean Metropolis". On June 7, 2022, the ROC Synod transferred the Crimean eparchies of the UOC to the “jurisdiction of the Patriarch”, which were then "united into a metropolis". The UOC did not recognize this decision.

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