At the Danilov Monastery in Moscow on March 12, 2024, Patriarch Kirill presided over the regular session of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) Synod, where he announced the decision to annex a portion of the UOC-MP Eparchy of Zaporizhzhia, located in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.
The ROC Synod justified its actions by citing appeals from clergy, monks, and laity from the temporarily occupied territories of the Zaporizhzhia region. These appeals purportedly indicate that Metropolitan Luka (Kovalenko) of the UOC-MP cannot carry out his pastoral duties in full scope due to the frontline division.
In light of this, the ROC has decided:
1. To entrust the temporary administration of parishes and monasteries in the territories of the Veselivsky, Kamiansko-Dniprovsky, Melitopilsky, and Mykhailivsky districts, as well as the cities of Melitopol and Energodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, to the governing bishop of the ROC Eparchy of Berdiansk.
2. To designate the mentioned parishes and monasteries to the ROC Eparchy of Berdiansk for their "state registration" in the Russian Federation as religious organizations.
3. During services in the mentioned parishes and monasteries, mention the name of the governing bishop of the ROC Eparchy of Berdiansk after the names of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and Metropolitan Luka (Kovalenko).
4. In case of changes in the external situation, reconsider the issue of the management order of the mentioned parishes and monasteries, as well as their legal status.
5. To consider any bans or administrative-disciplinary measures against clergy null and void and to subject them to additional review if they occurred or arise in connection with the signing of appeals to Patriarch Kirill or the organization of signing such appeals.
It should be noted that on December 27, 2023, during a meeting of the ROC Synod, a similar decision was made regarding the annexation of a part of the UOC-MP Eparchy of Kherson, situated in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region.