OCU Synod approves appointments and appoints a bishop for Greek-speaking faithful in Ukraine

On May 24, the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine passed the decision to consecrate Archimandrite Epiphanius (Dimitriou) as a bishop. He will take care of the Greek-speaking flock in Ukraine as a vicar to the Primate of the OCU. The consecration of the new bishop will be held tomorrow in St. Michael's Cathedral of Kyiv.

The Synod also decided within a month to complete the registration of the Charters of the Departments of the dioceses of the UOC (OCU). The process of registering the charters of the monasteries and the spiritual educational institutions of the OCU was launched.

In addition, the Synod of the OCU elected Archbishop Fedor of Poltava and Kremenchuk as Chairman of the Synodal Youth Department, Archbishop Nestor of Ternopil and Kremenets as chairman of the Synodal Department for Interaction with Youth-Patriotic Public Associations, Metropolitan Dymytry of Lviv and Sokal as chairman of the Institute of Church History.

On May 24, at the Metropolitan's House, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine met on the territory of the National Reserve "St Sofia of Kyiv" under the chairmanship of the Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

In addition to the Primate, Metropolitan Epifaniy, taking part in the meeting was Patriarch Emeritus Filaret, Metropolitan Makariy of Lviv and Metropolitan Symeon of Vinnytsia and Bar, as well as the temporary members: Metropolitan Dymytry of Lviv and Sokalsky, Metropolitan of Cherkasy and Chyhyryn, Archbishop Serhiy of Donetsk and Mariupol, Archbishop Feodor of Poltava and Kremenchug, Archbishop Hilarion of Rivne and Ostroh, Archbishop Yevstratiy of Chernihiv and Nizhyn, Archbishop Herman of Chernivtsi and Khotyn, Archbishop Agapit of Vyshgorod and Bishop of Symeon of Kryvyi Rih and Dnipro.

According to the Synod's statement, “The Orthodox Church of Ukraine preserves internal unity and calls upon the episcopate, clergy and faithful to discuss and resolve all questions that arise in the spirit of brotherly love that is commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ, avoiding incitement to hostility, confrontation and division. The Synod also expressed its full support to the Primate, His Beatitude Epifaniy, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine.”