Synod of the UOC (MP) banned Archimandrite Victor (Bed) from service and liquidated his Academy

The Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in its session held on December 23 in Kyiv decided to liquidate one of their theological education establishments - Saints Cyril and Methodius Uzhgorod Ukrainian Theological Academy, and ban its rector from service.

This is reported by the official site of the UOC (MP).

In April this year, as noted in the journal 94 of the synod, the committee of the UOC (MP) inspected and found non-compliance of the curriculum of Uzhgorod Academy with the requirements of the Concept of higher theological education of the UOC (MP), and violation of the Statute on governance of the UOC (MP).

On June 19 the Holy Synod dismissed Archimandrite Victor (Bed) from the post of rector, and appointed Archbishop Feodor (Mamasuyev)in his place.

However, Archimandrite Victor ignored the decision of the Synod and said that he was not a clergymen of the UOC (MP), as he too monastic vows on March 20, 2010 in Thessaloniki (Greece), and belongs to the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Church. Archimandrite also said that he was granted a letter of releaseallowing him to transfer to the Greek Orthodox Church in 2010, by Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine. However, this letter is missing in the archives of the Office of the Kyiv Metropolis, according to the official website of the UOC (MP).

Given these facts, the Holy Synod decided to ban from ministry a clergyman of the Diocese of Mukachevo Archimandrite Victor (Bed) for “misleading the hierarchs, arbitrariness, spreading false information and violating the oath.”

Separately, the bishops of the UOC (MP) adopted:

- Consider inappropriate the recognition of Saints Cyril and Methodius Uzhgorod Ukrainian Theological Academy as ahigher theological educational and academic institution of the UOC (MP).

- Apply to the Department of Religions and Nationalities at the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine on the issue of liquidation ofSaints Cyril and MethodiusUzhgorod Ukrainian Theological Academy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) as a self-governing religious organization founded by the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC (MP).

- The academic church of Saints Cyril and Methodius shall be subordinate to the Diocese of MukachevoUOC (MP).

- The clergymen of said church shall move to the jurisdiction of Archbishop Feodor of Mukachevo and Uzhgorod.

- Diocesan Bishops, when considering candidates for ordination to the holy orders, shall keep in mind that the diplomasof Saints Cyril and Methodius Uzhgorod Ukrainian Theological Academy do not comply with the requirements to diplomas of higher theological educational institutions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.