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| Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Orthodox Church of Ukraine |
| Native name | Українська Православна Церква |
| Caption | Cathedral |
| Main territory | Ukraine |
| Founded | 2018 (unification council) |
| Leader title | Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine |
| Leader name | Epiphanius I |
| Recognition | Autocephalous (granted 2019) |
Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church established through a 2018 unification council and granted a tomos of autocephaly in 2019. It emerged from a process involving the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate, and other ecclesiastical, political, and cultural actors. The OCU's formation has reshaped relations among Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Russian Orthodox Church, Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), Orthodox Christianity, Ukraine, and international Orthodox bodies.
The OCU's origins trace to historical trajectories including Kievan Rus', Metropolis of Kiev, Galicia and all Rus', and later developments under Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Tsardom of Russia, and the Russian Empire. Twentieth-century milestones such as the Russian Revolution of 1917, the establishment of the Ukrainian People's Republic, and interwar shifts led to the emergence of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and later movements culminating in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate founded by figures like Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko). The collapse of the Soviet Union created renewed debates about ecclesial identity, involving institutions such as the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and personalities like Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky. Tensions peaked with the Euromaidan protests and the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, and the War in Donbass, which influenced church alignments. The 2018 Unification Council (2018) assembled bishops from several jurisdictions, producing a charter and electing Epiphanius I of Ukraine as primate. In 2019, the Tomos of Autocephaly (2019) issued by Bartholomew I of Constantinople formalized recognition amid protests from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The OCU is governed by a synodal structure including a Holy Synod (Eastern Orthodoxy), a primate titled Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, and diocesan bishops overseeing eparchies in cities such as Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Donetsk. Administrative instruments include a charter influenced by canons from Fourth Ecumenical Council, Fifth Canon of the Council in Trullo, and decisions of the Council of Florence historically cited in Orthodox canonical discussions. The OCU interacts with secular institutions like the Verkhovna Rada, and civil registration through agencies such as the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine. Interactions with international bodies include contact with the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches, and bilateral relations with churches like the Church of Greece, Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Polish Orthodox Church, Romanian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox Church, and the Orthodox Church in America.
The OCU adheres to Eastern Orthodox theology, referencing creeds from the First Council of Nicaea, First Council of Constantinople, and Council of Chalcedon. Liturgical life centers on the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and occasional use of the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great and rites from the Byzantine Rite. Language practices include Ukrainian vernacular, Church Slavonic, and local usage reflecting dioceses in regions like Transcarpathia and Crimea. Theological education is provided by seminaries and academies such as Kyiv Theological Academy, institutions inspired by traditions of Hellenic theological schools and historic centers like Mount Athos. Pastoral priorities reference sacramental rites including Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Ordination, and Matrimony within canonical frameworks upheld by adjacent Orthodox churches.
Autocephaly was conferred by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople via a tomos in 2019 signed by Bartholomew I; this act produced formal recognition from some autocephalous churches including the Church of Greece and the Patriarchate of Alexandria while eliciting opposition from others like the Russian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church. The process involved legal and canonical debates referencing precedents such as the recognition of the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in America and contested cases involving the Bulgarian Exarchate. Diplomatic and ecclesial negotiations included emissaries from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, delegations to the Holy and Great Council preparations, and interventions by political leaders in Kyiv and Ankara. Recognition remains a evolving landscape among the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches.
The OCU occupies a prominent role in public life, engaging with national ceremonies in Maidan Nezalezhnosti, memorials for victims of events like the Holodomor and Battle of Ilovaisk, and supporting humanitarian responses to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Its clergy have interfaced with state actors including the President of Ukraine, premiers, and municipal administrations in cities such as Kherson and Mariupol. The church contributes to educational initiatives with institutions like theological academies and liaises with civil society organizations including Caritas branches and veterans’ groups. International outreach includes participation in ecumenical dialogues with the Roman Catholic Church and diplomatic engagement via the Embassy of Ukraine in Greece and delegations to the European Union.
Parish distribution spans urban centers and rural communities across Kyiv Oblast, Lviv Oblast, Donetsk Oblast, Luhansk Oblast, and Zakarpattia Oblast. Major cathedrals and monasteries include sites in St. Sophia Cathedral (Kyiv), historic monasteries influenced by Pechersk Lavra, and regional shrines. Clergy numbers, parish counts, and monastic communities have evolved since 2018 with transfers from jurisdictions such as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate and contested moves from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). Faithful demographics intersect with cultural identity markers including use of Ukrainian language, regional histories tied to Galicia, Volhynia, and diasporas in Canada, United States, Poland, and Australia.
Controversies include disputes over property and cathedral control in locales like Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and legal cases in Ukrainian courts, tensions with the Russian Orthodox Church over canonical territory, and debates within the Synod of Bishops about reception of clergy from other jurisdictions. International reactions involved statements by patriarchs such as Patriarch Kirill and Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria, interventions by state actors in Moscow and Ankara, and media coverage from outlets in London, Brussels, and Washington, D.C.. Ecumenical implications touch on relations with the World Council of Churches, bilateral dialogues with the Roman Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church, and disputes over the limits of Ecumenical Patriarchate prerogatives. Legal, pastoral, and geopolitical elements continue to shape the OCU's relations throughout the Eastern Orthodox world.