Patriarch Bartholomew commemorates OCU head in the presence of BOC Patriarch
Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Daniel. Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency
On December 26, 2025, during a joint Divine Liturgy of the Constantinopolitan and Bulgarian Patriarchs, Patriarch Bartholomew commemorated the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Serhii Dumenko, in the presence of the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
At the same time, representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine did not take part in the joint service. The commemoration was carried out within the diptychs of the Constantinople Patriarchate and was not accompanied by concelebration with OCU “hierarchs”.
The very fact of commemoration does not signify any change in the official position of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church regarding the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Earlier, Patriarch Daniel repeatedly emphasized that the Bulgarian Church has not recognized the OCU and does not mention it in its own diptychs.
In December 2025, Patriarch Daniel stated that representatives of the OCU would not participate in joint services at the Phanar during his visit to the Ecumenical Patriarch. “The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has not recognized the OCU and does not mention it in the diptychs,” Patriarch Daniel stressed. According to him, this understanding had been reached in advance and taken into account during preparations for the visit.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Bulgarian Patriarch would make an official visit to the Phanar.
Read also
Police in Lviv Region: We cannot influence UOC services held in apartments
Police in the Lviv Region complain that they cannot stop UOC worship services held in private homes.
In Konotop, UOC church and eparchial administration damaged by shelling
A blast wave shattered the windows and damaged the domes and buildings on the territory of the All Saints parish and the administration of the Konotop Eparchy.
New cases of church destruction recorded over government inaction in Ukraine
Against the backdrop of Ukrainian authorities’ statements about the confiscation of churches, the condition of the holy sites points to the Ministry of Culture’s inaction and the loss of cultural heritage.
In Horodylets village, TRC abducts UOC church rector
In the Volyn region, after a UOC priest was detained by TRC officers, the religious community was left without the priest's spiritual care.
OCU “hierarch” dismissed for selling draft dodgers fake clergy IDs
The OCU synod sent Kyrylo Mykhailyuk to a monastery for his involvement in fraudulent schemes.
TRC-abducted monk from UOC Rivne Eparchy sent to military unit
After being detained, the UOC monk underwent a military medical board, was deemed fit with restrictions, and was sent to a support unit in Rivne Region.