The publication of the 2025 calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church has caused a sensation in Ukraine – and beyond.
This is because the calendar includes photos of the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – UOC (of the Moscow Patriarchate), Metropolitan Onufriy, as well as other hierarchs from Ukraine.
Photos from the Russian calendar’s edition were published by the newspaper Patriot and are presented by the Ukrainian website Religion Pravda.
Of particular interest is the case of Metropolitan Mark of Khust, who appears in the Russian Orthodox Church’s calendar despite leading the province in Transcarpathia (Mukachevo).
His ties to Moscow are so obvious that it is hard to speak of any independence, as emphasized in Patriot’s publication.
It is also noted that he is a citizen of the Russian Federation and even mentions the Patriarch of Moscow, Kirill, during his services.
It is recalled that since May 2022, a few months after the Russian army invaded Ukraine, the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Onufriy declared its autonomy from the Moscow Patriarchate.
However, none of the actions or statements of the members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church suggest that they have fully severed ties with the Russian Patriarchate or that they seek full independence.
In fact, there has been no reaction to this publication, nor any demand to remove their names and photos from the official edition of the Russian Orthodox Church’s calendar.
Notably, since the start of the Russian invasion, it has been revealed that Metropolitan Onufriy, along with 20 priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, holds Russian passports, and there have been refusals to engage in dialogue with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Epifaniy.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
