by Efi Efthimiou
Particularly revealing about the current state of the Orthodox community in Ukraine is information that has come to the attention of orthodoxtimes.com.
Based on conversations with well-informed sources familiar with developments in both the Phanar and Ukraine, orthodoxtimes.com finds that the situation within the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is far removed from what Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew envisioned when he granted the Tomos of Autocephaly more than six years ago.
“When the Patriarch granted Autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), there were already three Orthodox ecclesiastical structures in the country.
Bartholomew did not grant Autocephaly to any of them individually. He invited all of them to unite in one new Church. Everyone was invited. Some came, some didn’t. Even those who did not come at that time are still invited to join the Autocephalous Church. This is what the Patriarch desires and what he expected,” the same sources told orthodoxtimes.com.
As these sources explain, the Ecumenical Patriarch offered Autocephaly as a gift to all Orthodox Ukrainians — not to individuals. “They need to work things out among themselves. Autocephaly was a gift to the country, not to certain persons.”
What is the situation in the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU)?
According to information obtained by orthodoxtimes.com, the current state of affairs in both the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) under Metropolitan Epifaniy and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) under Metropolitan Onufriy is considered “tragic.”
“Metropolitan Eustratius of Bila Tserkva is the one controlling the finances of the OCU. And what does he do? He pursues a policy that serves his own interests. There is neither mission nor theology. It is telling that although Russia has been at war with Ukraine for three years, one might expect all Orthodox Ukrainians to have rushed to the newly formed Church, especially given the UOC’s ties to Moscow. But that didn’t happen. In fact, some Romanian-speaking parishes in Ukraine would rather pay antimension to Patriarch Daniel of Romania and leave the UOC than join the Autocephalous Church under Metropolitan Epifaniy. This is very alarming,” added the same sources.
According to them, the lack of strong ecclesiastical figures in Ukraine has hindered any possibility for meaningful dialogue. “Metropolitan Eustratius is politically exploiting Autocephaly for his own benefit. The Ecumenical Patriarch is deeply displeased with the state of Orthodoxy, not only in Ukraine but more broadly,” they emphasized.
It is evident — according to these well-informed sources of orthodoxtimes.com — that the Ecumenical Patriarch did not conceal his dissatisfaction with Metropolitan Eustratius, even during their meeting in Rome for the enthronement of the new Pope. “He barely spoke to him — only a formal greeting — and the warmth of previous encounters was missing,” one source noted.
The problems surrounding the Ukrainian Church issue are multifaceted — and also highly personal. “Metropolitan Epifaniy is not a figure who inspires. If someone like Anastasios were to go to Ukraine, he would attract all Orthodox believers like a magnet. They would unite around him. Now, there’s a man who is not accepted — who cannot unify,” they told orthodoxtimes.com.
The Decisive Role of Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspol
However, the situation is no better on the other side — perhaps even worse. “They’re being accused of remaining under Russian influence. And in order to prove their loyalty to Ukraine, they’ve veered into ethnophyletism,” sources told orthodoxtimes.com.
Regarding Metropolitan Onufriy, the Phanar-based sources told orthodoxtimes.com that he is a spiritual man and a simple monk — but unfortunately lacks the charisma of a leader. “People see him as a spiritual father, a respected elder, but he has no vision. When your Church is under persecution and you are its shepherd, you must save it. You need a vision for the future. Onufriy lacks that,” they said.
“Still, he tries to keep the Church united and to make it independent from Russia, but he is struggling,” they added.
Within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, there is internal division. Well-informed sources report to orthodoxtimes.com that “there are extreme pro-Russian elements and ethno-nationalists. Metropolitan Onufriy is trying to balance between them.”
Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspol, meanwhile, “is doing everything in his power to prevent independence from the Moscow Patriarchate. He is deeply pro-Russian — to the extent that he hopes Putin will enter Kyiv — and has tremendous influence over Metropolitan Onufriy, doing everything he can to maintain ties with Moscow,” the sources told orthodoxtimes.com.
Yet the key figure behind the scenes of the UOC is Ukrainian businessman and oligarch (and former MP) Vadym Novynskyi. “He is Metropolitan Anthony’s spiritual child. The latter conducts all his business with Novynskyi’s help,” sources revealed to orthodoxtimes.com.
Who informs the Ecumenical Patriarch about Ukraine — And what he actually knows
Naturally, one must ask: how much — and what — does the Ecumenical Patriarch really know about what is happening in Ukraine?
According to a Phanar-based source who spoke to orthodoxtimes.com, Patriarch Bartholomew receives only partial information. “Whatever information reaches the Phanar is only what Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon wants and allows to be shared. He maintains a close relationship with Metropolitan Eustratius in Ukraine, and the two support each other’s positions for reasons of their own. Both are responsible for the current state of the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine. In the Phanar, everything related to Ukraine goes through Emmanuel. And anyone who dares speak out on this issue is sidelined. Emmanuel accuses them — and that’s the end of it.”
It’s also worth noting that Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon has the same reputation in Ukraine as well. According to sources in the country, when Elder Chalcedon visited, he was always accompanied by luxury vehicles and patrol police. Even the Ukrainian presidency was reportedly irritated, remarking that he was received “as if he were the Ecumenical Patriarch himself.”
Ukraine… Like Russia?
Sadly, as reported by orthodoxtimes.com sources in both the Phanar and Ukraine, the situation in Ukrainian Orthodoxy is chaotic. All Churches — regardless of jurisdiction or doctrine — have become ethno-nationalist, forsaking the Church’s true mission.
It is telling that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine under Metropolitan Epifaniy is now described as a “branch of the state.” “Unfortunately, it has assumed the role of a state church. They have not realized how dangerous this is — under current conditions, it could easily backfire,” sources said.
Speaking to orthodoxtimes.com, the same sources added: “The Church and the state must cooperate for the good of the people — that’s one thing. But simply doing what the state demands is something entirely different. And it’s exactly the same problem we see in Russia. The Moscow Patriarchate plays the game of state power, and everyone in the Russian Church has ended up doing whatever Putin says. There is no theological discourse or critique of state actions. Just constant praise. Is this truly the Church’s role?”
The same sources also noted the serious problem of a lack of qualified Church leaders in Ukraine. “In both Churches — Epifaniy’s and Onufriy’s — most clergy (with a few exceptions in the latter) lack proper theological education. They have not studied at theological faculties or universities abroad, only in local ecclesiastical schools. As a result, the overall academic level is very low,” they pointed out.
