PARTICULATION OF THE OECUMENE
The events of the 19th and 20th centuries brought about a particulation of Orthodoxy. The so-
called “second and third Romes”, i.e. Constantinople and Moscow, saw tremendous political changes
in these loci with the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the end of the Tsarist/Soviet Empire. The rise of
nationalism and linguistic pride gave rise to the particulation of the Orthodox OEcumene, resulting in
new and often times by Constantinople and Moscow initially “unrecognized” Autocephalous
Orthodox Churches: Greece, 1850; Romania, 1885; Ukraina, 1921; Albanian, 1937; Belarus’, 1948;
Czech Republic, 1951; Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Metropolia of Syosset, NY, USA (now
OCA), 1970; and autonomy for Macedonia, 1959; Japan, 1970.
UKRAINA
UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH– 1921 (UAOC-1921):
This populous church movement beginning in 1918 came to fruition in October of 1921, resulting
in a pomisna (national) Orthodox Church where the clergy, as ever, cared for the spiritual matters of
the Church and the laity took responsibility for the temporal affairs effectively replacing the
Muscovite Tsar’s role in the Church. Restoration of democratic process for the election of the
Hierarchy and local clergy was legislated.
The Parish Rada (committee, board) was to be elected by parochial constituencies. Catechism,
Sermons and Divine Services were rendered in the vernacular (Ukrainian) with full participation by
the laity owing to more universal literacy brought about by the work of the lay Brotherhoods (Lay
organized Orthodox Church support groups who taught reading and writing especially in the villages
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.) The Russian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate’s
Exarchate in Ukraina declined to supply an Episcopate for the UAOC-1921. Therefore the All-
Ukrainian Church Rada voted to utilize the old Alexandrian Form of Episcopal Ordination, though
specific local canons were adopted detailing that this was an emergency measure and that the usual
forms of ordination would be employed thereafter. The Priest-Martyr VASIL (Lipkivski) was
enthroned as Metropolitan of the UAOC in eleventh century Sv. Sofia Cathedral. By 1928 the
Bolsheviks had liquidated UAOC-1921 hierarchy except one internally exiled non-functioning bishop
(found in Kyiv the 1990’s) and Bishop IOAN (Theodorovich) of Philadelphia, USA. Myriads of
UAOC-1921 priests, lower clergy and the faithful survived the Holodomor (Great Famine of 1931-33)
and immigrated out of Ukraina, prompted by the retaking of German occupied Ukraina by the Soviets,
only to be then sequestered in the Displaced Persons Camps in Germany in the post-World War II era.
UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH– 1924/1942 (UAOC-1924/1942):
The struggle of Ukrainian Autocephaly was renewed based upon the 1924 Tomos of Autocephaly
for those lands previously constituting the Kyivan Metropolia from Constantinople’s Patriarch
GREGORIOS VII, and implemented by Met.DIONISIJ (Valedynsky) of Warsaw during German
occupation of Ukraina. A Sobor of Bishops with a metropolitan administration was centered at Kyiv,
the UAOC-1924/1942 was initially headed by The Kyivan Met.POLICARP (Sikorsky). The UAOC-
1924/1942 hierarchy, clergy and laity also fled as the Soviets retook Ukraina remembering the fate of
the UAOC-1921, then becoming part of the Displaced Persons/Emigré in the Diaspora.
DIASPORA
UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH – 1942, (UAOC-1942):
UAOC-1924/1942 Kyivan Met.POLICARP and the Sobor of Bishops found themselves in exile.
These Bishops in exile (herafter detailed as UAOC-1942) became concerned about the acceptance of
the UAOC-1942 by other Orthodox Jurisdictions in the Diaspora. Consequently the Sobor of Bishops
was not well disposed towards Vladyka IOAN of Philadelphia, nor toward the number of UAOC-1921
priests, deacons, lower clergy and faithful who were in the Displaced Persons Camps in Germany in
the post-war era. At the 1947 Sobor meeting in Aschaffenburg the decision to “re-ordain” clergy
from the UAOC-1921 was made. Vladyka HRYHORIJ (Ohijchuk) dissented.
UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH(s) – 1942/1947 :
The UAOC-1942 Vinnitsia Bishop HRYHORIJ, subsequent to the 1947 Sobor at Aschaffenburg
did act to take under his omofor the clergy from the UAOC-1921 without “re-ordination” and issuing
PROTOCOL of the Clergy of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (sobornopravna), 16
October 1947, Aschaffenburg. Reacting to the PROTOCOL the UAOC-1942 Synod of Bishops
distanced itself from Vladyka HRYHORIJ, effectively creating a separate jurisdiction of Vladyka
HRYHORIJ and the signatories and adherents of the PROTOCOL, i.e. UAOC(s)-1942/1947. In 1955,
Met.NICANOR (Burchak-Abramovich), the successor of Met.POLICARP and the UAOC-1942
Synod of Bishops vindicated the perspective of Vladyka HRYHORIJ by elevating him to be
Archbishop. After the death of Met.NICANOR, Vladyka HRYHORIJ was elected on 25 December
1971 to be Metropolit HRYORIJ IV of Kyiv and All Ukraina. In 1973 a roskol UAOC(s)-1973 was
fomented by bili- dukhovenstvo (white clergy i.e. married priest) Alexander (Bykowetz) over the
election by the jurisdictional All Church Rada to the Episcopacy of an unqualified candidate, The
Rev. Dr. Petro Kolisnik. This was vetoed by Met.HRYRORIJ. Several Sundays before Vladyka
HRYHORIJ reposed he permitted Abp.PETRO (Kolisnik) of the UAOC(s)-1973 roskol, who had, as
a priest, been suspended by Met.HRYHORIJ, to serve in Pokrova in his then present episcopal dignity
as Vladyka HRYHORIJ was ill, and there was no one else available to serve. Met.HRYHORIJ
mentioned to several church officials that the division was still was in place. Met.HRYHORIJ reposed
on 13 February of 1985 and was buried from Chicago’s Pokrova Sobor-Cathedral. The funeral was
served by Met.ANDREW (Prazsky) and Abp.ANTHONY of the Slavonic-Greek Orthodox Church
(Czech Church in Exile), Abp.PETRO (Kolisnik), UAOC(s)-1973, Vladyka MAKARIOS and
Vladyka Timofi of UAOC(s)-1942/1947 in Texas. Several Hierarchs have since functioned as
Mictseblyustihtelya i.e. Locum Tenens: S-GOC Met.ANDREW (Prazsky), Bishop VSEVOLOD,
OEcumenical Patriarchate, Bishop MAKARIOS of Houston UAOC(s)1942/1947 in TX (later KP). It
was Bp. MAKARIOS who at the request of Ivan Osichuk, ended the division between the HRYHORIJ
Jurisdiction and the UAOC(s)-1973 by blessing UAOC(s)-1973 Bp. ALEXANDER (Bykowetz) to co-
serve for the 50th Anniversary Liturgy for Pokrova Sobor-Cathedral, Chicago. Not long thereafter
Ivan Osijchuk reposed. Subsequently 101 year old, long retired Abp.PETRO (Kolisnik) was buried
from Pokrova Sobor-Cathedral, Chicago, with the Funeral being served by (senior) Bishop
MAKARIOS and (junior) Bishop ALEXANDER; With the elevation of Vladyka ALEXANDER to be
Archbishop by UOC-KP Patriarch FILARET, the function of Mictseblyustihtelya i.e. locum tenens
was assumed by Abp.ALEXANDER, who reposed in March of 2013.
The Work of Metropolit HRYHORIJ is now shouldered by the UAOC-Outside Ukraina,
Metropolit MAKARIOS of Houston, TX, USA the longest-serving, Ukrainian Orthodox Bishop of any
Ukrainian Orthodox Jurisdiction worldwide of those who were ordained in and for the Ukrainian
Orthodox Church. Ordained bishop in June of 1982, he has never, as a hierarch, affiliated with any
non-Ukrainian Church Center. Vladyka MAKARIOS was elected Metropolitan and enthroned on
Feast of Druha Pokrova, October 2012 in Sv. Stephan Cathedral, Brunswick, Ohio. The UAOC-OU is
the continuation of the UAOC(s)-1942/1947 and the UAOC-1942 and is fully canonical,
commemorating the name of the Patriarchal incumbent of the Kyivan Throne (in 2013, H.H.
FILARET) and the Metropolitan of the UAOC in Ukraina (in 2013 H.B. MEFODY).
UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH (sobornopravna)-1973
i.e. UAOC(s)-1973. A published photograph in a undated fragment of Pravoclavnihj Ukrayenets’,
edited by Prot. Ol. Bihkovets’ of an Extraordinary Sobor UAOC(s), 22-25 December 1973 in
Cleveland OH identifies only those sitting in the front row of four rows. From left to right: (transl. sic)
protopresvitier Oleksander Bihkovets’, hen. Oleksander Vihshnivc’kihj, prot. Olekciih Shevchenko,
arkhihmandriht Petro Kolisnihk, Yepihskop OLEKCIIh, protopresv. Hrihhoriih Sivachenko, o. Pavlo
Shadurs’kihj, i protod. Anton Zozylya. This roskol was formed because Met.HRYHORIJ declined to
ordain to the episcopacy the university professor, Fr. Petro Kolisnik, who did not have a theological
studies background. The Rev. Dr. Kolisnik with Fr. Alexander Bykowetz and several other clergy
were suspended in the process of the controversy. Apparently one of the actions of the separatists was
the unsuccessful suit filed by Protopresbytir Alexander Bykowetz to gain control of Pokorva Sobor-
Cathedral in Chicago. From Pravoslavnihj Ukraiyenets’, rik XXII, ch. 131, Sichen’-Lytihj 1974
roku, st.20 entitled MIJ KOROTKIhJ ZihTTEPIhS, we note that Bishop OLEKSIhJ was born 12
Feb 1893 in Kovalivkih Village, near the town of Bratslav in the Podil’ Area. His name in the world
(i.e. baptismal name and family name) is not detailed. The autobiographical article states that he was
ordained on 18 November 1914 but there is assuredly a mistake for it reads “to priest” when perhaps it
was to the diaconate, but then it details his marriage to Sofia Stefanovna Buchens’kaha on18 January
1915 and priestly ordination on 1st February 1915 by Ostros’kihj Episcop HAVRIHYEL. He was
elevated 22 June1923 to be protoyerej by Warsaw Met.DIONISIHJ. His wife died in 1937 and he
immigrated to Argentina.
Fr. Oleksihj accompanied Bishop MIHKOLAJ (Solovij) to the meeting of the Sobor of UAOC-
1942 Bishops at the beginning of 1952. At that time he was made a monk and elevated to be
Archimandrit and appointed to be the secretary of the consistory of Buenos Aires.
At the subsequent Sobor of UAOC Bishops in Paris, France on the 14th of September 1952 he
was ordained to the rank of Bishop by Met.POLICARP, Abp.NICANOR and Bishop IVAN
(Danihlyuk). Vladyka OLEKSIhJ returned to Argentina to work there with the Archbishop for Latin
America MIHKOLAJ.
It is assumed that Vladyka OLEKSIhJ presided at the Episcopal Ordination of Bishop (later
Abp.) PETRO (Kolisnik) though no documentation to that effect has yet been found. The Ordination
of Bishop (later Abp.) ALEXANDER (Bykowetz) was done in Australia, also no documentation
located, by the Somostihnihj Greek Bishop SPIRIDON ( Irmogenous) of Australia [Ordained by (then)
Abp.HRYHORIJ, Abp HENNIDIhJ on 28 February 1969 at Pokrova, Chicago, IL, USA] with
Abp.PETRO.
Subsequent to Vladyka MAKARIOS entering into communion with the UOC-KP,
Patriarch VOLODYMYR, which was later renewed and documented by Patriarch FILARET, Ivan
Hryhoriavich Osichuk, the son of then the late Met.HRYHORIJ telephoned the Houston Chancery and
he suggested Vladyka MAKARIOS to make rapprochemont with Vladyka ALEXANDER noting that
Vladyka ALEXANDER had been received as an autonomous diocese by Pat.VOLODYMYR.
The 50th Anniversary of Pokrova Sobor-Cathedral in 2000 saw the fruit of this conversation in
that Bishop MAKARIOS presided at the Divine Liturgy, co-served by Vladyka ALEXANDER,
Archimandrit Pitirim, Pokrova Cathedral Dean, and several local priests including Fr. Boriz Zabrodski
of Homewood Sv. Nicholas Parish. The Schism was ended.
Yet the saga continues. After being summarily excluded by UOC-KP Patriarch FILARET,
Abp.ALEXANDER was the first signatory to the incorporation of the UAOC-Outside Ukraina
(UAOC-OU) in May of 2011. In August of 2012 Vladyka ALEXANDER expressed his extreme
disappointment with church life. His heart was broken that so few of the Laity participated in the 90th
Anniversary of the UAOC-1921. The renaissance of Sv. Andrew Cathedral in Detroit with the influx
of immigrants caused Vladyka to overlook that the zealots for 1921 and the 1947 Aschaffenburg Pact
were elderly, ill or reposed. Vladyka ALEXANDER could not relate the needs the UAOC-OU to
prepare for the future in the Diaspora but could only think of events in Ukraina. He expressed his
displeasure and was permitted to retire to be as he was previouosly, the Hierarch for the UAOC(s)-
1973. Sadly and regrettably His Eminence Archbishop ALEXANDER, who shall be remembered for
his zeal for the Autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church and his great knowledge of church ustav and
music, reposed in the Lord on March 14, 2013 at the age of 88 before this situation could be resolved.
Justice would have Abp.ALEXANDER (Bykowetz) numbered amoungst the honored, reposed
hierarchs of the UOC-KP.
UKRAINIAN-GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH of CANADA i.e. UGOCC:
The Ukrainian-Greek Orthodox Church of Canada though emotionally attached to the
atmosphere of the UAOC-1921 Lipkivski Church, the mostly Bukovinan Church through the years
always managed to “borrow” a Canonical Hierarch from one or another of the Orthodox Jurisdictions.
The UGOC of Canada had accepted as its first resident hierarch, the UAOC-1942 Pereyaslav Bishop
MSTYSLAV (Skrypnik) as ruling bishop in 1947. By 1949 Vladyka MSTYSLAV became embroiled
in a controversy surrounding the collection of funds to purchase property for a Monastery at Grimsby
and the “unforgivable act” of participating in the “re-ordination” of Vladyka IOAN (Theodorovich) of
Philadelphia. Bishop MSTYSLAV resigned from the U-GOCCanada in 1950 and was replaced by a
hierarch who had been previously rejected by the Canadian Consistory, that great scholar, historian,
ethnographer, author and linguist, the Chelm and Lubin Metropolit ILARION (Ohienko) who assumed
the Canadian Primacy in 1951 and quickly thereafter ordained a Sobor of Bishops in order to maintain
the independence of the Canadian Church. Met.ILARION reposed in Mar 29, 1972; succeeded by
Met.MICHAEL (Khoroshyj) who retired in 1975; followed by Met.ANDREW (Metiuk) who reposed
in 1985; succeeded by Met WASYLY (Fedak) who in 1990 upon learning of the election of
Met.MSTYSLAV to be Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus’-Ukraina made short work of submitting the
UGOChurch of Canada to the Greek Patriarchate of Constantinople precipitating a name change from
Ukrainian-Greek Orthodox Church of Canada to UOC of Canada. Met.WASYLY, who endured great
criticism from the Ukrainian Diaspora for his actions reposed in 2005. He was succeeded by
Met.JOHN (Stinka) who retired in July 2010; succeeded by the present incumbent Met.YURIJ
(Kalistchuk).
There is a lay movement fomenting a reversal of the affiliation of the UOC-Canada (OE) with a
non-Ukrainian Church Center.
UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH-1921 philadelphia.
aka: UOC in USA, South Bound Brook, NJ, USA therefore aka (SBB)
The Jurisdiction came into being with the immigration of Vladyka IOAN (Theodorovich), who was
ordained in 1924 by the UAOC-1921. After his Ordination in Kyiv, he voyaged directly for the USA
and arrived in New York City to shepherd Ukrainians, both the Orthodox and those who had been
disillusioned with the policies of the Latinsky Hierarchy who coveted and worked to acquire title
(ownership) of all Uniate church properties and the denial of Rome for Uniates in the USA to have
married priests. Vladyka IOAN took up residence at Sv. Vladimir Church in Philadelphia. Vladyka
MSTYSLAV desiring to assist Vladyka IOAN in overcoming the concerns of the 1942 Sobor of
Bishops regarding his Episcopal Ordination from the UOAC-1921, arranged for a ordination a novo of
then Archbishop IOAN. Said re-ordination of Vladyka IOAN occurred on 27 August 1949 by the
Alexandrian Exarch, Archbishop CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge) and Vladyka MSTYSLAV.
Vladyka MSTYSLAV soon found it expedient to unite with Vladyka IOAN. In the early 1950’s the
IOAN-MSTYSLAV jurisdiction purchased a large parcel property for the monumental memorial
temple, Sv. Andrew, the First-Called, a cemetery and jurisdictional headquarters in South Bound
Brook, New Jersey, USA. The repose of the venerable and highly respected Metropolitan IOAN in
1971, was followed by Archbishop MSTYSLAV’s enthronization as Metropolitan of the UOC in USA
(SBB) which was constituted of mostly former Halichinya Greek Catholic, first wave, English
speaking parishes and some smaller number of second wave (post WWII), Displaced Persons (i.e. DP)
Ukrainian speaking, Kyivan Orthodox Parishes. The Independence of Ukraina from the Soviet Union
in 1991 paved the way for MSTYSLAV to be elected in absentia as the initial Patriarch of Kyiv and
all Rus’-Ukraina having been elected by the group spearheaded by Fr. Volodymyr Yarema.
H.H. MSTYSLAV reposed 11 June 1993 and was entombed in the Crypt under the Memorial
Temple of Sv. Andrew, the First-Called, South Bound Brook, NJ, USA, which had been built during
the tenure of Met.IOAN. The Otpivanya, Liturgy and Crucession about the Memorial Temple and
entombment in the Crypt were accomplished with the participation of Met.CONSTANTINE (Buggan),
(SBB); Met.IZIASLAV, (BAOC); Abp PETRO (Petrus), UAOC-1990, detailed below; Abp
MIKHAIL (Dutkevich), UAOC-1990; UAOC(s)-1942/1947 Bishop (later) UAOC-OU
Met.MAKARIOS; Bishop TIMOFI, UAOC 1942/1947 in TX; Bishop (later) Met.ANTHONY
(Scharba), (SBB); Bishop PAYeSihJ (Iwaschuk), (SBB); Bishop IOAN (Derewianka) of London,
(SSB); and Bishop ROMAN (Balaschuk) UAOC-1990. In attendance were Met.VASILI, UOC
Canada (OE); Abp.PETRO (Kolisnik), UAOC(s)-1973; (then) UAOC(s)-1973 Bishop (later) UOC-KP
Archbishop ALEXANDER (Bykowetz); and the venerable and respected hierarchs from the USA and
Canada of various Ukrainian, Ruthenium and Greek-Catholic Churches in Communion with the Latin
Patriarch of Rome.
Within a short time in Ukraina two separate groups would elect separate claimants to the Kyivan
Throne. The episcopate of the SBB Jurisdiction, over the objections of many within the jurisdiction,
elected to migrate with the jurisdictional assets to the Istanbul centered Greek Patriarchate effectively
vacating the Metropolia formerly headed byVladyka MSTYSLAV.
UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH 1932/1937 (OE.) i.e. UOC (OE) a group of former Greek
Uniates who longed for a “pope” who would respect their liturgical traditions, ecclesiastical kalendar,
permit married priests, and parish ownership of properties elected the Uniate priest Joseph Zuk, who
was then ordained as an auxiliary bishop to Abp.AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh), head of the Russian Orthodox
Greek Catholic Metropolia’s first attempt at autocephaly. Vladyka JOSEPH’s ordination occurred in
September of 1932. He was succeeded by Vladyka BOHDAN (Spylka), who successfully applied to
the OEcumenical Patriarchate for Episcopal Ordination in 1937. Vladyka BOHDAN was succeeded by
Met ANDRé (Kuschak). Abp.VSEVOLOD (Maidansky), who upon succeeding Met.ANDRé worked
with South Bound Brook upon the death of His Holiness MSTYSLAV to subsume the jurisdiction to
Istanbul’s Greek Patriarch.
UKRAINIAN CHURCH REBORN IN UKRAINE
UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH-1990 i.e.UAOC-1990
(registered by the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on 2 October 1990.)
The UAOC-1990 in Ukraine, spearheaded by Fr. Volodymyr Yarema, convinced the ROC-MP
Volyn and Rivne Bishop IOANN (Bodnarchuk) to step away from the Muscovite Church to assist in
the re-establishment of the UAOC in Ukraina.
As chronologized by RISU, Vladyka IOANN
with retired Muscovite Bishop VARLAAM (Ilyushenko) and Bishop VIKENTIY (Chekalin) of the
True Orthodox Church (catacomb church), did ordain Vladyka IOANN’s brother, VASILI
(Bodnarchuk) to the Episcopacy. Upon the discovery that Chekalin was an imposter, this ordination,
as well as other emanating from it, were repeated with the assistance of then (UOCinUSA, SSB)
Bishop (now) SBB(OE) Met.ANTHONY.
The UAOC-1990 did elect in absentia, the at-that-time longest tenured, living Hierarch of all of
the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Jurisdictions Met.MSTYSLAV. In the interregnum Met.IOANN was
Mictseblyustihtelya i.e. locum tenens of the Kyivan Throne. In Sv. Sofia Cathedral on 18 November
1990 Met.MSTYSLAV, (UAOC-1942) was enthroned as the initial Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus’-
Ukraina by the Episcopate of the UAOC-1990 acting jointly and concelebrating with (later)
Met.CONSTANTINE and (later) Met.ATNHONY of the South Bound Brook Jurisdiction. Efforts on
the part of ROC-MP Kyivan Metropolitan FILARET (Denysenko) to amalgamate to Patriarch
MSTYSLAV I were rebuffed. (see UOC-KP). Patriarch MSTYSLAV reposed in 1993 and was laid to
rest in the crypt of Sv Andrew, the First-Called Memorial Temple in South Bound Brook Cemetery.
UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH– Kyivan Patriarchate,
i.e. uoc-kp
In Kyiv subsequent to the 22 May 1992 meeting of the National Forum of the
Protection of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church which was attended by bishops, clergy and Laity of
the UAOC-1990 and the Ukrainian Exarchate of the Muscovite Church (UOC-MP) under
Met.FILARET, a Ukrainian Orthodox Council was held in the Pushkin Street Residence of
Met.FILARET. An accord there wrought united the UAOC-1990 and the UOC-MP under the title,
Ukrainian Orthodox Church–Kyivan Patriarchate i.e. UOC-KP. The Council confirmed, in absentia,
MSTYSLAV I as Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus’-Ukraina. The new Jurisdiction was registered by the
governmental authorities and the registration of UAOC-1990 was vacated. His Holiness,
MSTYSLAV I of Kyiv and All Rus’-Ukraina asserted his dissatisfaction with the new UOC-KP
structure which had been effected without his blessing. During a 23-24 December 1992 meeting with
the opponents of the UOC-KP Union, His Holiness, MSTYSLAV addressed the president, prime
minister and prosecutor general of Ukraina insisting upon the illegality of the UOC-KP Union, citing
the Statutes of the UAOC. Continuing efforts on this matter on the part of Abp.PETRO and
Abp.MYKHAIL (Dutkevich) were truncated by the repose of His Holiness, MSTYSALV I at his
residence in. Grimsby, ONT, Canada. He was buried in the Crypt under the Memorial Church in
South Bound Brook, N.J. USA.
UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH-1990/1995 (Pat. DEMETRI) i.e.
UAOC-1990/1995 An impressive coalition of leading Church personalities including Hierarchs,
Priests, lower clergy and lay leadership in the Post-Soviet Ukrainian Autocephaly Movement which
did not support Met.FILARET, held an election for a new Patriarch. The luminary of the
Autocephalous Movement Fr. Volodymyr Yarema took the monastic name Dimitri and vows from
Archbishop PETRO on August 23, 1993. On September 5, 1993 in Kyiv, he was ordained Bishop
with the title of Sichevskyi. On Sept 7, 1993 at the second National Council of the UAOC, he was
elected Patriarch with the Enthronement of this the now second Patriarch being accomplished on
September 14, 1993 in the Church of the Saviour on Berestov in Kyiv. Patriarch DEMETRI reposed
on 25 February 25, 2000. He was eventually succeeded by Patriarshihj Mstyblustitilya Metropolit
VASILI (Bordachuk) who later, himself personally united with the UOC-KP. The UAOC-1990/1995
was then headed by Met.MEFODY (Kudriakov) who now the title of First Hierarch of the UAOC in
Ukraina. The former UOAC 1990-1995, then samostijnihj i.e. independent Bishop IHOR (Isichenko)
has been a staunch advocate for union with Istanbul through South Bound.
UOC-KP continued: In Ukraine the living priest-martyr, Fr. Vasil Romaniuk, having been ordained
Chernihiv Bishop VOLODYMYR, and having been elected by a National Council during the October
21-24, 1993 session, His Holiness, VOLODYMYR received the title of Patriarch of Kyiv and All
Rus’-Ukraina. In June 1995, Pat.VOLODYMYR turned to Pat. DEMETRI with a proposal to begin
the process of uniting the two churches. Each of the two Patriarchs would resign and an election to fill
the Patriarch Throne was to be held. Having governed for only a year and 8 months H.H.
VOLODYMYR died under mysterious circumstances and was quickly interred in the entry plaza of
Sv. Sofia Cathedral on what became known as Chorni Vivtorok (Black Tuesday), 18 July 1995. The
only Bishop from the Diaspora participating in the Funeral of Pat.VOLODYMYR was UAOC-
1942/1947 Bishop (later) UAOC-OU Met.MAKARIOS of Houston, Texas, USA. Accompanied by
Fr. Vasil Dakiv, President of the South Bound Brook Consistory, (SBB) Bishop PaYeSihJ (Iwaschuk)
was present and vested but did not serve.
Subsequent to the death of H.H.VOLODYMYR, a meeting of the Western Eparchies of the
UOC-KP asked Met.FILARET to withdraw his candidacy for Patriarch and to work for unification of
the Churches.
The supporters of Met.FILARET organized an October 1995 election in Sv. Volodymyr Sobor-
Cathedral which was and is yet controlled by Vladyka FILARET. The elective-sobor was packed by
Met.FILARET’s supporters, who effectively barred those who were adjudged not to be supporters.
There were only 5 votes against FILARET. Consequently the at-one-time (ROC-KP) Kyivan
Metropolitan was elected and installed with the title of Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus’-Ukraina.
UOC-KP in the Diaspora:
The consequences of the UOC-KP administration of H.H. FILARET for the Diaspora have been
devastating. His Holiness FILARET, ignoring the initially three functioning Bishops, i.e.
MAKARIOS, TIMOFI, ALEXANDER adhering to UOC-KP, ordained 83 year old Fr. Stephan
(Bilak), the fourth signatory to the PROTOCOL of the Clergy of the Ukrainian Autocephalous
Orthodox Church (sobornopravna), 16 October 1947, Aschaffenburg, also a long-time retired
apparatchik of Bound Brook, to be the Bishop for the Patriarchal Vicarate aided by Fr. Victor Polariny,
a retired military officer with no seminary training. Bishop STEPHAN made the rounds of parishes,
collecting monies for his administration and then returned to his residence in Florida and was soon
bed-fast for several years before reposing in the Lord.
Then the Bishop PAYeSIhJ (Dmokhovskyj) of Bosipil who had allegedly been designated
persona-non-grata by the Ukrainian Government was sent to rule over the Church in the Diaspora.
His first official non-liturgical act was to convoke an unscheduled Vicariate Rada (interrupting the
scheduled welcoming Banquet) whose purpose was to have all of the parishes sign over their
properties to his administration. Only a few days later, in the presence of Vladyka MAKARIOS,
several priests, PaniMatka Roxanne Posakiwsky and assembled pilgrims, Vladyka PAYeSIhJ
unsuccessfully endeavored to wrest the 40 acre Monastery of Sv. Anthony from its Ihumen,
Abp.ALEXANDER (Bykowetz). Vladyka PAYeSihJ traveled amoungst the parishes, allegedly
making demands for thousands of dollars. Collection calls from various lending institutions and
vendors searching for Vladyka PAYeSIhJ became routine within the Vicarate and to other Ukrainian
Bishops in America. Finally, after having been removed by Patriarch FILARET as the Caretaker of
the Patriarchal Vicarate of the UOC-KP; after having his application to Rome rejected; after being
evicted from his apartment in Parma, OH.; after systematically abusing the unfathomable charity of
Archbishop ALEXANDER of Detroit who allowed him to take refuge in the Archbishop’s own home,
Vladyka PAYeSihJ showed his gratitude by attempting to stage an unsuccessful coup to become the
Pastor of Detroit’s Sv. Andrew Cathedral, which was built during Abp.ALEXANDER’s priestly
tenure, circa 1950. Failing this and yet continuing to live in Vladyka ALEXANDER’s home, he
borrowed a large sum of money from Vladyka ALEXANDER and several lay persons and returned to
Ukraine to serve as a priest in a Russian Monastery.
Thereafter Vladyka FILARET, at a jurisdictional conference scheduled for a Saturday afternoon
in October of 2009, in the Lower Hall of Sv. Stephan Cathedral, Brunswick, OH, after hearing some
reports from various officials of the jurisdiction, stood up and announced the are to be no more
Autonomous Dioceses (referring to Abp.ALEXANDER, nor Stavopehial Monasteries (referring to
Vladyka MAKARIOS). Everyone is to be subject to Fr. Victor Polariny, the Secretary of the
Patriarchal Vicarate. The Patriarch then walks out of the hall and goes to an interview with journalists,
then to dinner with the Ukrainian Catholic Hierarchy, failing to attend the sumptuous supper prepared
for the Patriarch and the conference attendees. His Holiness some months later completely excluded
Archbishop ALEXANDER for conforming to American Law and reporting to INS the fact that Fr.
Bohdan Zhoba was no longer employed as a priest at Sv. Andrew Cathedral, Detroit, MI. His Holiness
continues to ignore Vladyka MAKARIOS. The Vicarate is effectively controlled by Fr. Polariny and
Fr. Zhoba.
Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (sobornopravna) in Ukraina - 2002
i.e. UAOC(s)-2002. The bearded deacon in the green vestments in the Enthronization Liturgy video of
Patriarch MSTYSLAV I of Kyiv and All Rus-‘Ukraina in November of 1990 is Fr. Deacon Oleg
Koulik. Subsequent to the Patriarchal Enthronement he journeyed to the USA where he was appointed
priest of Sv. Mary Protrectress Temple (SBB) in Detroit, MI. Allegedly, over some of the non-
orthodox content of his catechism for the children of the parish, Fr. Oleg was asked to leave. In 1997
Fr. Oleg acquired the use of a formerly Belarusian, small Temple in Detroit, MI, USA where he
ministered to an Orthodox pan-national community for a short while. Fr. Oleg returned to Ukraina
where he performed as a Blahovihsnik, i.e. preacher in the factories and other work places. An
accomplished and inspirational speaker Fr. Oleg developed quite a following. In 2002, Fr. Oleg
pilgrimaged to the Archihierarchical Monastery of the Four Evangelists, Houston, Texas, USA. There
he asked of UOC-KP Bishops MAKARIOS and TIMOFI to ordain him to the Episcopate. The Texas
hierarchs declined. The following week Fr. Oleg was the focus of the rite of ordination of a bishop in
Sv. Boris and Hlib Ukrainian Temple in Cleveland OH, USA. Presiding at the service was The Rt.
Rev. Fr. Archimandrit (mitered priest holding a rank somewhat equivalent to that of a western Abbott.)
Stephan (Petrovich) who was serving as if he were a bishop. Subsequently in Ukraina there was an
event where the ordinand was announced as Moises, Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus’-Ukraina on 17-18
June 2005. In the ensuing years he has created a jurisdiction which is represented to cover Ukraina,
some Eastern European States and several places in the Americas, perhaps having franchised as many
as 35 bishops.
THE GREEK. BYZANTINE CATHOLICS IN COMMUNION WITH ROME
Lest we forget, there is a significant adherence to the Patriarch of the West by many Ukrainians.
The yearning for a Ukrainian Catholic Patriarchate has fallen upon deaf ears in Rome. The first
hierarch of the Ukrainian Catholics in Ukraine is officially titled Major Archbishop, regrettably, not
even Metropolitan, but he does wear a white klobuk. Recently an impressive, unique Cathedral in
Kyiv has been built on the east bank of the Dnipro River. Latinisms in liturgical use and clerical dress
are diminishing and the Ukrainian Catholic practice is moving more towards Byzantine ustav. The
forced unions with Russian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, i.e. ROC-MP during the Soviet
Era are not forgotten. This regrettable history has caused informed Orthodox thinkers to have a more
gracious attitude towards the “children of the Unia”. The Greek Catholics seem to have increased
sympathy for the yearnings for Autocephaly of their Orthodox countrymen as they themselves strive to
gain Papal recognition for a Patriarch of their own.
GREEKS, RUSSIANS, BELARUSIANS, SERBS, CZECHS, ROMANIANS
Should you think the Ukrainian Saga is tedious please know that the 19th, and 20th centuries saw
the Greeks, Albanians, Russians, Belarusians, Czechs, Romanians and Serbs with their own
complexities, which did manifest effects upon jurisdictions in the diaspora.
GREEKS
The Greek speaking Churches fractured into Pro-Constantinople, pro-autocephaly for Greece,
Old Kalendar, New Kalendar, Royalists and supporters of the post WWII, State Church of Greece
constituencies. Add to this the multitude of private temples controlled by families and organizations
in Greece which continue to remain independent of the State Church. Note should be made of the
abuse of and the eviction of monks and employing of the State of Greece Police to enforce the new
calendric-compliance policy of the Istanbul Greek Patriarchate against the old kalendarist Greek and
non-Greek speaking monasteries on Mt. Athos which have occurred this 21st century.
PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE (Istanbul, The Second Rome) i.e.(OE):
Constantinople continues its policy of trying to reconstruct the glory of Byzantine Empire Days
and eschewing canon law, endeavouring to become The Church Center for the whole of Orthodoxy,
forgetting the canonical principle of being “first among equals.” Speculation amoungst many
respected analysts is that a “Orthodox Pope” could force an “oil and water” union with the Patriarchate
of the West, needing only two signatures. Meanwhile the takeover of all Orthodox Institutions
exterior to traditional Orthodox Lands would create a much desired source of revenue for the
politically besieged and economically impoverished, Moslem majoritied, Istanbul centered Fanar
(read Vatican) which has some 35 bishops governing merely 2000 Greek Orthodox Faithful in Turkey.
RUSSIANS
MUSCOVITE PATRIARCHATE, i.e. ROC-MP
The Kyivan Metropolia resulting from the Baptism of Kyiv in 988, fleeing invasions moved it to
more northern precincts several times and over a period of time had its primacy usurped by Bishop of
Moscow. The Metropolitan at Moscow purchased Patriarchal designation from Constantinople in
1589 and used the power of the Tsars as enforcement.
STAROVERNIHJ ABO STRAOOBRAZYA’DTSIhJ, i.e. OLD BELIVERS or OLD
RITUALISTS :
The most enduring and consistent resistance of the Muscovite imperialistic-
ecclesial control has been shown by the Old Believers who rejected the liturgical reforms of Patriarch
of Moscow NIKON. The “reforms” brought Slavonic liturgical observance into conformity with then
current, but actually newer, and in some cases novel Greek practice. The Old Ritualist broke with the
Patriarchate in 1666. By the 1910 census, still ten percent of Russians self-identified as Old
Believers/Ritualists. Some Old Believers with time became priest-less (Bez-Popovtsy), other groups
would absorb a priest ordained by the ROC-MP State Church into the Old Rite. A 1798 Tsarist
Decree required ROC-MP diocesan bishops to ordain for the Old Ritualist using rites that were
acceptable to the Old Ritualists. During the reign of Muscovite Tsar Nicholas I, Old Believers paid
double taxes and an additional tax on their beards. A 1905 Edict from Tsar Nicholas II gave the Old
Believers rights to build temples, ring church bells, hold public crucessions and to administratively
organize themselves and it was prohibited to refer to the Old Believers as raskolnihkihj (schismatics).
The Old Believers presently have a Moscow centered Metropolia under Preosvyashchenneijshihj
Metropolit KORNIhLIhJ and 10 Eparchies including the Kyivan Eparchy under Archbishop
SAVATII. It is known that remnants of the Bez-Popovsty still exist both in those lands which formerly
constituted the Tsarists/Soviet Empire, in Alaska and Oregon in the USA, in Canada, in Brazil and
perhaps other in South American countries.
POST 1917 FRACTURING OF THE RUSSIAN PATRIARCHATE (ROC-MP)
The Russia Patriarchate after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution were divided additionally into
Tsarist, Living Church, Sergian-Patriarchalists, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish and Czech
Autocephalists, the Church Abroad, Bulgakovist, numerous self-standing episcopal administrations,
and the former Slavic Uniates in the diaspora seeking autocephaly from Moscow.
THE THIRD ROME’S ASPIRATIONS
The present stance of the Third Rome seems to desire to revisit the Glory days of the Tsarist
(which morphed into the Soviet) Empire. The tools employed are universal use of Old Church
Slavonic, the russification of subjugated national churches, historical misinformation and amnesia
regarding the Mother Ukrainian Church and coalition with the Russian Government’s Imperial
yearnings coupled with inordinate xenophobia. Great efforts are being made by Moscow to build up a
sentiment of Pan-Slavic Brotherhood with the hopes of at least creating a greater geographical
Muscovite Orbit to balance out the ambitions of Greek Patriarch of Constantinople and creating a
geographical/religious buffer zone from the Catholic/Protestant/secularized West.
BELARUSANS
BELARUSAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH – 1948 i.e. BAOC-1948
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a Slavic state of the Litva people, speaking the Old
Belarusian Language. While having no genetic connection to Rus’, Litva did receive the Orthodox
Faith from Kyiv and was for centuries with the Kyivan Metropolitan. After the invasion of Kyivan-
Rus’ by the Mongols, The OEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinople granted the Litva people an
autonomous Metropolitan at Navahradak which included Poltask and Tarau. When Kyiv became part
of Litvo-Lithuania the metropolitan bore the title of “Kyiv and All Rus’”.
Needing to thwart the advances of Germanic Teutonic knights the Orthodox Grand Duke Jahaila
of Lithuania with the rest of his dynasty and nobility agreed to be re-baptized to meet demands in the
Act of Union with the Catholic Kingdom of Poland. Upon the death of Metropolitan KYPRIAN in
1413, the Constantinople Patriarchate sent PHOTIUS to be titled Metropolit of Kyiv in Polanized
Lithuania. PHOTIUS fled to Moscow. The bishops demanded of Constantinople another
Metropolitan. His silence resulted in the election of Met.RYHOR (Tamblak) by a council at
Navahradak in 1415 resulting in the recognition of an autocephalous Orthodox Metropolit of
Lithuania. Pressure by Catholic Polish hierarchs resulted in the forced “resignation” of Met RYHOR.
Moscow took note and effectively took rule of the Belarusian Church until the 1589 Union of Lubin
with Rome followed by the 1596 Union of Brest-Litovsk which created a Uniate Church. In 1620 the
Patriarch of Jerusalem restored the Orthodox Hierarchy. The Moscow/Ukrainian Cossack Treaty of
Pereyaslav in 1654 gave Moscow the opening to march against Lithuania during the height of an anti-
Orthodox pogrom which was working death, destruction, the outlawing of the Belarusian Language
and labeling of spokesmen for the Orthodox as enemies of the state. In Pinsk on June of 1791 a
general assembly of the Orthodox re-establish a short-lived independent Orthodox Metropolia. Polish-
Lithuanian Commonwealth was partitioned between Prussia, Russia, and Austria, ending the Duchy of
Lithuania and resulting in the uncanonical end to a native Belarusian Orthodox Church.
The initial relief felt by being released from compulsion to be in Union with Rome was soon
replaced with the distaste for Muscovite subjugation, forbidding the term Litva, introducing the term
Belorussia and imposing Muscovite Old Church Slavonic Liturgical Books and Scriptures.
Belarusian Independence in 1918 soon was replaced with another partitioning between Poland
and Moscow. On July 23, 1922, in Minsk, the BAOC was reborn with Met.MELCHISEDEK as
primate. He was murdered in 1927. A second Sobor under Bishop FILARET confirmed the
independence of the Belarusian Church which functioned until 1938 by when it was destroyed by the
Bolsheviks
The 1924 Tomos of Patriarch Gregorios VII of Constantinople granting Autocephaly to the lands
previously constituting the Kyivan Metropolia covered Belorussia. The fall of the Polish State in 1939
and its division between Germany and Russia saw the submission to Moscow of all the Hierarchs
except UAOC-1942 Met.POLICARP (Sikorsky) of Kyiv and the Autonomous (UAOC/BAOC)
Met.ALEXANDER (Inozemtsev) of Pinsk.
In June of 1941 the Germans occupied Belarus’. On Aug 30, 1942 the Minsk Sobor reaffirmed
autocephaly and elected Met.PANTELIMAN as Primate. In 1944 Russian Occupation ended the
church’s activities with its hierarchs emigrating to west to avoid certain death.
UAOC Bishop SIARJEY (Okhotenko) presided at the first Synod of the BAOC abroad in
Konstanz, Germany. Bishop VASIL (Tamashchyk) was (with the assistance of the UAOC) ordained.
Abp.SIARJEY immigrated to Australia and Bishop VASIL to NYC, USA.
In 1968 two Bishops, including Vladyka ANDREY (Kryt) and Vladyka MIKALAY
(Matsukevich) of Toronto and were ordained with help from the Free Serbian Church Hierarch
DMITRIJE (who had been ordained with assistance from UAOC 1942/47 Abp.(later)
Met.HRYHORIJ.) Subsequent to the repose of Abp.VASIL in 1970 and Abp.SIARHEY in 1971, the
second BAOC Sobor was held in New Jersey in 1972, installing Met.ANDREY as First Hierarch.
On February 22.1981, BOAC Met.ANDREY and the eventual initial Patriarch of Kyiv and All
Rus’-Ukraina, MSTYSLAV and (SSB) Bishop OREST ordained Bishop IZIASLAV (Brucki) who
became Metropolitan in May 1984 at the third BAOC Synod in Manchester England. Vladyka
IZIASLAV then enrolled in and completed seminary. A division between the administration of
Met.IZIASLAV and Abp.MIKALAY arose and continued even after both of the two Dioceses were
widowed.
Abp.MIKALY reposed in 2002, Met.IZIASLAV repose in 2007 after a long illness. These two
Diocese had effectively been without Episcopal leadership for many years, thereby creating leadership
vacuum which came to be filled with laymen who did not have the Church’s best interest as their
agenda.
The present UAOC-OU Metopolit MAKARIOS together with the UAOC(s)-1972
Abp.ALEXANDER recognized the duty of the Ukrainian Church’s Hierarchy to again assist the
Belarusian Church when the Consistoria of the BAOC asked for an ordination for their Episcopal
Candidate. Met.MAKARIOS and Vladyka ALEXANDER consented. UOC-KP Patriarch FILARET
asked the two hierarchs to wait for the “consent” of the UOC-KP Synod. The Ordination was delayed
one month. A nervous BAOC consistory was assured by Met.MAKARIOS that regardless of the
