UOC MP ordained a bishop for occupied Crimea

According to Orthodox Life, the service with the rite of ordination was held in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra on August 28, 2021, on the feast of the Dormition of the Most-Holy Theotokos.

The episcopal ordination was performed by The Primate of the UOC-MP Onufriy.

At the end of the service, Metropolitan Onufriy gave the floor to present a crosier to the bishop. As per the tradition, the hierarch gave the faithful his first Episcopal blessing.

The ordination was performed pursuant to the decision of the Holy Synod of the UOC-MP of August 17, 2021.

Archimandrite Agafon (Vyacheslav Opanasenko) was born on November 13, 1977 in Kharkiv.

From 1994 to 1995, he served as a Sexton and subdeacon in the Annunciation Cathedral in Kharkiv. In 1999, he graduated from the Odessa Theological Seminary, and in 2003 — from the Kyiv Theological Academy. From 2003 to 2004, he was a teacher at the Kharkiv Theological Seminary.

On July 6, 2004, he was accepted among the brethren of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra to perform obedience at the right-wing kliros.

On September 20, 2004, he was tonsured by Archbishop Pavel of Vyshgorod and became a rasophore by the name Vyacheslav. On October 11 of the same year, Metropolitan Veniamin of Vladivostok and Primorye ordained him a deacon in the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

On March 23, 2005, he was tonsured by Archbishop Pavel of Vyshgorod and received a mantle along with the name Agathon, in honor of St. Agathon of the caves.

On September 11, 2006, Archbishop Pavel of Vyshgorod ordained him as a hieromonk in the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

On August 28, 2008, he was elevated to the rank of Abbot.

On August 28, 2015, he was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite.

He performed obedience as a kliros attendant, dean, and since December 20, 2018 – sacrist of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.