Filaret to head Kyiv Diocese, Metropolitan Symeon elected Chief Secretary of the OCU, the Synod decides

On February 5, 2019, a meeting of the Synod of the Local Ukrainian Orthodox Church took place at the Metropolitan's House at St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. As stated in the announcement of the official site of the OCU, all decisions were taken with full approval of all members of the Synod.

During the meeting, the titles of the bishops of the Local Church were approved, and the order of remembering the dioceses was established in the event that these denominations are duplicated – in this case the diocese is named according to the double title of the bishopric.

Religious organizations that were part of each diocese as of December 15, 2018, remain in the respective dioceses. The transfer of the clergy and parishes between dioceses of the Local Church is possible only on the basis of canonical rules, that is, with the approval of the bishops of both dioceses certified by the relevant documents.

It was decided that Patriarch Filaret will further head the Diocese of Kyiv comprising the parishes and monasteries of Kyiv (except for the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery), which until December 15, 2018 were under his authority as Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine.

Taking into account the special significance of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv, its governor, Archbishop Agapit of Vyshgorod was equated in rank to the diocesan bishops.

The Synod reviewed and approved the typical statute of the Diocesan Office for the dioceses of the Local Church. The organizational issue of the Vinnytsia diocese was also considered.

At the suggestion of the Primate, Metropolitan Symeon of Vinnytsia and Bar was appointed Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of the OCU.

In connection with the election of the rector of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy Metropolitan Epifany as Primate, the current pro-rector Fr Oleksandr Trofimlyuk was appointed to the vacancy. Professor Archpriest Oleksandr Trofimlyuk was also appointed head of the Department of Spiritual Education and Theological Science.

Metropolitan Ioan of Cherkasy and Chyhyryn was appointed as head of the Synodal Department for Military Clergy, and Archbishop Serhiy of Donetsk and Mariupol as chair of the Department for Social Service and Charity.

Taking into account special importance of the area of development of external church relations, the Primate was appointed Chair of the Department for External Church Relations.

In order to coordinate the efforts of the Church to help victims of human rights violations and those who are illegally deprived of their liberty in the occupied territories of Ukraine and in the Russian Federation, “Orthodox Mission for Assistance to Victims of Human Rights Violations and Persons Deprived Of Their Liberty” was set up. Archbishop Klyment of Simferopol and Crimea was appointed head of the mission.