RISU was informed by the Synodal Information Department of the UOC-MP that a meeting of the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was held in Kyiv on February 24. The meeting, in accordance with the Charter of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, was chaired by Metropolitan Ahafanhel of Odesa and Izmail, the oldest by ordination permanent member of the Synod.
As stated in the report, “due to the physical inability of Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine to carry out the duties of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which the members of the Synod have seen personally when they visited His Beatitude in the hospital, the Synod has decided it is necessary to elect a locum tenens for the Chair of the Kyivan Metropolitan.”
In compliance with the Charter of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Onufriy of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna was elected locum tenens by secret ballot.
In a telephone conversation held after the election, Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church wished Metropolitan Onufriy success.