Ukraine took another step towards achieving full independence from Russia on Dec. 15, as a historic synod gathered in the Ukrainian capital to appoint the head of a new national, independent church and approve its charter.
The synod, which appointed Epiphanius, Metropolitan of Pereyaslav and Bila Tserkva, as head of the new church, broke with over 300 years of tradition by ending the subordination of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine to the church in Moscow.
After his election, Epiphanius, 39, born Serhii Dumenko, addressed the crowd that had gathered on Sofiivska Square outside Saint Sophia Cathedral, where the synod or church council had gone on for most of the day.
“God heard our appeals and gave us this anticipated unity,” he said, calling the day a historic one.
“The doors of our church are open to everyone. We call on everyone to unite and be in this recognized unified Orthodox Church,” Epiphanius said.
The representatives of the country’s three Orthodox churches — the Kyiv Patriarchate, the Moscow Patriarchate, and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church took part in the election.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko gave a speech on Sofiivska Square after the announcement.
“Dec. 15 will or has already entered the history as a sacred day, the day when the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church was created,” Poroshenko said.
Poroshenko said while Ukraine had achieved political independence in 1991, it was only now that it was gaining “spiritual” independence from its dominating neighbor Russia.
