Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has affirmed the decision by the Episcopal Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to elect Metropolitan Onufriy as its leader, the Moscow Patriarchate said on Aug.13 evening.
The patriarch congratulated Metropolitan Onufriy on his election as the Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine. He also “gave Metropolitan Onufriy his patriarchal blessing for assuming the office of the leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” the spokesperson said.
It was reported earlier that the Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) had elected Metropolitan Onufriy of Chernivtsi and Bukovina as the new primate.
A spokesman for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), Archpriest Heorhiy Kovalenko said that Metropolitan Onufriy had received 48 votes out of 74. The voting was held in two rounds: in the first one, he mustered 36 votes, Metropolitan Antony of Boryspil and Brovary – 24 votes, and Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnytsia and Bar – nine. “They were the ones who reached the second round, in which Metropolitan Onufriy was elected as Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, which we have been notified of by the chimes of the belfry of the Lavra,” said Father Heorhiy.
He said the council had met in a quiet atmosphere. “The leader will perform his first prayer service as the elected Metropolitan of Kyiv, and the enthronement of the Kyiv metropolitan will be held at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra on Aug. 17 during a divine liturgy, which we expect to be attended by representatives from all Orthodox churches,” the archpriest said.
The Russian Orthodox Church has welcomed the election of Metropolitan Onufriy as the leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The enthronement of the new head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is expected on August 17.
The previous head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) died on July 5, having being the primate of the church since 1992.
Metropolitan Onufriy (Berezovsky) was elected Locum Tenens of the Metropolitanate of Kyiv on February 24, 2014.
Metropolitan Onufriy was born on November 5, 1944 in Chernivtsi region into the family of a clergyman. He took monastic vows in 1971 and in 1988 graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a degree in theology.
In 1988 he was appointed Father-Superior of the Dormition Pochayiv Lavra where he served until November 1990. On December 9, 1990, he was consecrated Bishop of Chernivtsi and Bukovina. In 1994 he was raised to rank of archbishop and in 2000 – to the rank of metropolitan.
