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| Community of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine | |
|---|---|
| Name | Community of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine |
| Main classification | Eastern Orthodoxy |
| Orientation | Ukrainian Orthodoxy |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Leader title | Primate |
| Founded date | 2018 |
| Founded place | Kyiv |
| Separated from | Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) |
| Area | Ukraine |
Community of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is a religious community formed amid the establishment of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2018 and the granting of the autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople at the Unification Council (2018). It comprises clergy, laity, monastics, parishes, and institutions that realigned from bodies such as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate), the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, and some parishes formerly affiliated with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). The community is active across regions including Kyiv Oblast, Lviv Oblast, Donetsk Oblast, and Odessa Oblast.
The community’s origins trace to ecclesiastical developments tied to the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, shifts after the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation (2014), and diplomatic engagement involving the President of Ukraine (2019–2024), the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. Key events include the Unification Council (15 December 2018), the issuance of the Tomos of Autocephaly (2019), and reactions by the Russian Orthodox Church which led to the Russian Orthodox Church–Ecumenical Patriarchate schism (2018) and subsequent jurisdictional disputes. Historical antecedents reference the Synod of Polotsk (1839), the Union of Brest (1596), and earlier Ukrainian ecclesiastical formations such as the Kyivan Rus' metropolitanate and the Metropolis of Kyiv and Halych.
Canonical governance follows an episcopal synodal model influenced by precedents like the First Ecumenical Council and the administrative structures of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Leadership bodies include the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian Council, and regional diocesan structures such as the Eparchy of Kyiv. The primate interacts with counterparts including the Patriarch of Moscow, the Catholic Church in Ukraine, and representatives of the World Council of Churches. Legal status and registration in Ukraine involve institutions like the Ministry of Culture (Ukraine) and legislation stemming from the Ukrainian Constitution. Disputes over property and jurisdiction have involved courts such as the Supreme Court of Ukraine and administrative mechanisms established after the Revolution of Dignity.
Membership patterns reflect demographic distributions recorded by census data and studies from institutions like the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Razumkov Centre. Strongholds are observed in Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kharkiv Oblast, and Zaporizhzhia Oblast, with contested presence in Crimea and the Donbas. Ethnolinguistic factors involving Ukrainian language and Russian language communities, wartime displacement due to the Russo-Ukrainian War (2014–present), and migration to countries such as Poland, Canada, and the United States shape parish composition. Demographic challenges include clergy shortages addressed by seminaries linked to institutions such as the Kiev Theological Academy and theological faculties at universities like the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
Liturgical life is rooted in the Byzantine Rite and utilizes liturgical books derived from traditions preserved by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Church Slavonic heritage, and vernacular Ukrainian translations similar to those used in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for pastoral outreach. Major services include the Divine Liturgy, the Sacrament of Baptism, the Eucharist, and the Sacrament of Holy Unction. Feast observances align with the Liturgical year and commemorate saints such as Saint Volodymyr the Great, Saint Anthony of the Caves, and Saint Theodosius of Kiev. Music employs chant traditions related to Znamenny chant, Byzantine chant, and modern compositions by composers influenced by Mykola Leontovych and liturgical composers associated with the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
Parochial networks include urban parishes in centers like Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Odesa and rural communities across Poltava Oblast and Chernihiv Oblast. Monastic life maintains cenobitic and idiorrhythmic traditions in monasteries and lavras such as Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, the stauropegic communities, and smaller sketes modeled on Eastern Christian monasticism exemplified historically by Mount Athos and Pechersk Lavra. Monasteries engage in publishing, iconography workshops influenced by the Iconostasis tradition, and restoration projects often coordinated with cultural bodies like the National Sanctuary "Sophia of Kyiv".
Community institutions operate charitable programs, humanitarian relief in collaboration with organizations like the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and local NGOs, and education initiatives hosted by theological seminaries and cultural centers in partnership with municipal administrations such as the Kyiv City State Administration. Activities include hospice care, refugee assistance for those displaced by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and cultural preservation projects tied to museums including the National Museum of the History of Ukraine. Media outreach employs religious broadcasters and print outlets that engage audiences in Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada, Argentina, and Australia.
Ecclesiastical diplomacy involves interaction with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, and the Armenian Apostolic Church. The community’s relations with the President of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada reflect legal frameworks affecting religious organizations, while interfaith dialogue engages bodies such as the Council of Churches and Religious Organizations of Ukraine. International responses include statements from the European Union, the United Nations, and the United States Department of State concerning religious freedom and property disputes. Ongoing negotiations address recognition, canonical communion, and pastoral care in conflict-affected regions including Donetsk and Luhansk.