OCU cleric moves to UOC-KP

Oleksandr Halas. Photo: Nikodym’s Facebook page

On June 11, 2026, UOC-KP head Nikodym granted the petition and officially accepted former OCU cleric Oleksandr Halas into his organization. “Patriarch” Nikodym reported this on his Facebook page.

The cleric came under the direct authority of the head of the Kyiv Patriarchate after publicly announcing his break with the OCU in April 2026. In his statement addressed to Epifaniy Dumenko, the cleric stressed that he categorically disagreed with the organization’s course and methods of governance, and also pointed to a “biased and disrespectful attitude” from the top leadership of the structure.

The decision was preceded by a long history of persecution of the cleric within the OCU. The conflict began in 2023 in Ichnia, where the cleric discovered misuse of donations collected for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After transferring to the Zhytomyr Eparchy, the priest again encountered abuses: in the village of Lypky, he found a lack of financial reporting on funds that the Obolon plant had allocated for the construction of a new church.

Oleksandr’s attempts to achieve transparency in accounting resulted in his immediate suspension from ministry and forced mobilization, which he regarded as an attempt to physically eliminate him. The priest was sent to the 95th Air Assault Brigade, where he suffered a serious chest injury during his service and was hospitalized.

He is currently continuing treatment, now under the care of the UOC-KP. “We pray for the speedy recovery of Fr. Oleksandr and his swift return to full-fledged priestly life,” the head of the Kyiv Patriarchate summarized.

As the UOJ reported, a well-known OCU cleric left the structure over disagreement with Dumenko’s course.

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