Ruling Bishop of Kharkiv Diocese of Ukrainian Orthodox Church-MP passed away
On September 15 in the evening, on the 91th year of life, at the bishop's residence at the Holy Protection Monastery Metropolitan Nicodemus of Kharkiv and Bogodukhiv reposed. He was the oldest bishop in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).
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Metropolitan Nicodemus of Kharkiv and Bogodukhiv (Nikolai S. Rusnak) was born on April 4, 1921, in the village of Davydivtsi, Chernivtsi region to a peasant family.
He graduated from high school in 1935.
In 1938 he became a novice at St. John the Theologian's Monastery of the Chernivtsi diocese, where on January 6, 1945, he took his monastic vows.
On April 29, 1945, he was ordained hierodeacon, and on February 23, 1946, hieromonk.
From 1950 to 1955 he bore obedience of the prior of St. John the Theologian's monastery.
Since 1955 he studied at the Moscow Theological Seminary and also served as Dean MBA and MS.
In 1958 he was appointed deputy chief of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, and was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite.
On August 10, 1961, he was consecrated as bishop and sent to Kostroma department.
Since 1964 he was Bishop of Argentina and South America. From February 25, 1968, he served as Archbishop, Exarch of Central and South America. In 1970 he was appointed Archbishop of Kharkiv and Bogodukhiv, and in 1983 of Lviv and Ternopil.
On April 9, 1985, he was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan.
On December 27, 1988, he was appointed Metropolitan of Lviv and Drohobych, and hiero-archimandrite of the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra.
On September 13, 1989, he returned to the Kharkiv position.
From April to May 27, 1992, he served as Primate of the UOC. In 1992 he headed the Kharkiv Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which was condemned by splitting activities of the former Metropolitan Filaret.
From June 20, 1992, he was a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the UOC.
By decision of the Holy Synod of the UOC of November 22, 2006, he was dismissed from the office of chairman of the Synodal Commission on Canonization of Saints in connection with diocesan affairs.
