The UOC KP appointed a "bishop" for the Czech Republic

"Patriarch" of the UOC KP Nikodim with a new "bishop". Photo: Facebook page of the UOC KP

On April 25, 2026, representatives of the UOC-KP appointed a "bishop" for parishes in the Czech Republic. As reported by the Union of Orthodox Journalists in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the new "patriarchal vicar" in the city of Teplice became "archimandrite" Evgeny Sigizmund Freymann.

The following day, on April 26, Freymann was "ordained" as "Bishop of Teplice". The ceremony was conducted by "patriarch" Nikodim and "Bishop of Boryspil" Evgeny. Freymann himself is the abbot of the monastery of Saints Constantine and Helena in Teplice, which previously joined the Kyiv Patriarchate.

It should be recalled that on April 16, Nikodim accepted under his jurisdiction a group of individuals operating in the Czech Republic. Representatives of the communities wrote corresponding statements in which they recognized him as their head. Members of the association motivated their transition by the Ukrainian diaspora's desire to maintain unity with the UOC-KP.

However, the activities of this group in the Czech Republic face legal and canonical obstacles. In the registry of the Czech Ministry of Culture, which records registered religious communities, there is no entry for the UOC-KP.

Previously, the Union of Orthodox Journalists wrote that the UOC-KP called the OCU a "structure without canonical succession".

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