UOC-KP announces election of new “patriarch” to succeed Filaret

New head of the UOC-KP Nikodim Kobzar. Photo: Kobzar's Facebook

On March 21, 2026, the day after the death of Filaret Denysenko, the UOC Kyiv Patriarchate held an election for a new “patriarch.” This was announced by Ioasaf Shibaev, the “Metropolitan of Bilhorod and Oboyan.”

According to him, the new head of the UOC-KP is “Archbishop of Sumy” Nikodim Kobzar. The vote was held online because police had blocked St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral of the Kyiv Patriarchate and were not allowing UOC-KP representatives inside.

“The election took place by the only proper canonical means – through the free expression of the bishops’ will. This is the sole canonical basis for electing a primate. As for any discrepancies with certain by-laws of bureaucratic officialdom, they have nothing to do with the Church’s internal, grace-filled life. All the more so since the civil charter of the Kyiv Patriarchate was annulled by officials; it does not legally exist, and canonically it never did,” Shibaev wrote.

According to him, the registration of a new charter for the UOC-KP is the top priority for the newly elected head.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to Nikodim, the OCU had abducted and appropriated Filaret’s body.

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