Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Present Canonical Status, rights and Responsibilities

7/7/2011

In October 2010 we celebrated 20 years of existence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the status of “autonomous and independent in its governance.”

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) is a self-governing part of the Moscow Patriarchate. The dioceses of the UOC are in the territory of Ukraine.

By the Definition of the Bishops’ Council of the ROC of October 25-27, 1990, in response to the address of the Ukrainian bishops to His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the entire episcopate of the Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was granted independence and autonomy in its governance. The UOC is a legal successor of the ancient Metropolis of Kyiv (in Ukraine) and Ukrainian Exarchate of the ROC. The autonomy and independence in governance of the UOC apply to canonical, liturgical, economic, financial, spiritual and educational spheres of the internal life of the dioceses.

The conciliar and prayerful canonical ties of the UOC with Universal Orthodoxy is manifested by the membership of the Primate of the UOC in the Holy Synod of the ROC, and the participation of the Ukrainian bishops in the Bishops’ Council and the Local Council of the ROC.

The emblem of stay of the UOC in the womb of the blessed Universal Orthodoxy is the prayerful commemoration of the name of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church during worship stipulated by the statute and the blessing of the elected Primate of the UOC by the Patriarch. Accordingly, the Ukrainian episcopate, visibly expressing the doctrinal principle of catholicity (conciliarity) of the Church of Christ, are taking part in the election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and the Primate of the UOC in the rite of enthronement of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. The real rights and the canonical status of the UOC bring it actually nearer to the fullness of rights and status of a local church, without a formal definition by the last Local Council of the ROC.

The Primate of the UOC is Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, with the title “the Most Blessed.” The canonical status of the UOC and its Primate is recognized by the heads of the local Autocephalous Orthodox Churches.

The residence of the Primate of the UOC is the Holy Dormition Kyiv Lavra of Caves.

The Primate of the UOC since 1992 has been His Beatitude Volodymyr (Sabodan), Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

The Holy Synod of the UOC establish and dissolve the dioceses within the borders of Ukraine, religious schools, selects candidates for the episcopal ministry, blesses opening of the monasteries, discusses and resolves all other questions concerning the internal life of the UOC in the period between the Bishops’ Councils of the UOC.

The Council of Bishop of the UOC, according to the Statute on governance of the UOC is the highest organ of conciliar rule. The Council of Bishop of the UOC independently and autonomously elects the Primate of the UOC – Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

The All-Ukrainian Church (Local) Council convenes periodically in the UOC, with participation of the episcopate, clergy, monastics and laity of the UOC, to discuss urgent issues of the internal life of the UOC. The definitions of the All-Ukraine Church Council are a sort of reception by the people of God of the most important definitions of the supreme governing bodies of the UOC.

On 27 – 28 January 2009 at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior Cathedral the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church was held.

On January 28, the second day of the Local Council of the ROC, after election of the Locum Tenens, His Eminence Kirill, Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad to the office of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the delegates discussed the question of approving changes and amendments made to the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The new Statute was adopted at the Jubilee Bishops’ Council in 2000. In June 2008 the Council of Bishops introduces changes to the document, conditioned by the reunification of the Russian Church Abroad and the Moscow Patriarchate accomplished.

By the Resolution of “On the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church” the members of the Local Council approved the amended and supplemented Statute of the ROC, adopted by the Jubilee Council of Bishops on August 16, 2000, with amendments and supplements adopted by the Council of Bishops on June 27, 2008

In accordance with the Statute of the ROC approved by the Local Council of the ROC, “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church shall be self-governing with the broad right of autonomy. In its life and activity it shall be guided by the Tomos of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia of 1990 and by the Statute of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church confirmed by its Primate and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia “(Chapter VIII, paragraph 18). As for the Tomos referred to in the Statute of the ROC, it defines the UOC as an independent and autonomous in its governance”.

The text of the Tomos in particular defines the limits of independent activity of the UOC: ” May the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, united through our Russian Orthodox Church with the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, change nothing concerning dogmas of faith and holy canons without the conciliar decision of all the Orthodox Catholic Fullness.”

The mentioned Local Council also adopted the resolution “On the life and work of the Russian Orthodox Church’ ” For the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, it is of outstanding importance, since this resolution, in addition to the status of the UOC, as “self-governed with broad autonomy rights” [1] fixed in the approved Statute (Chapter VIII, paragraph 18), also approved all regulatory and patriarchal and conciliar documents defining canonical framework of rights and responsibilities in compliance with the above-mentioned Chapter of the Statute approved by the Council. Paragraph 4 of the Resolution of the Local Council of the ROC “On the life and work of the ROC” states:

“Members of the Council approve the acts of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, held between the Local Councils, as well as express satisfaction with the works which may be incurred in the fullness of time the church.”

This is also referred to in the Message of the Local Council, “The Council appreciated the fruit, which, by the grace of God, our Church has brought to the Lord for eighteen years that have passed since the last Local Council. At the Council by the will of the Holy Spirit, the church hierarchy and the people of God elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II of the blessed memory. This Council approved the acts of the Councils of Bishops of the period of 1990 -2009, and the Church’s work [2] in different areas, performed within the years of primatial ministry of the deceased Patriarch”[3]. Here we allow ourselves to quote once again the words of His Holiness the Patriarch said on July 28, 2010 upon completion of the service in the yard of Lavra on the nameday of the Primate of the UOC His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr: “… by the lips of the Local Council the status of self-governing Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the rights of broad autonomy was confirmed”.

The second document that the UOC has to be guided in her life and which is mentioned in the Statute adopted by the Local Council of the ROC – the Statute on governance of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Pursuant to the decision of the Holy Synod of the UOC of October 18, 2007, the Commission on changes and amendments to the Statute on governance of the UOC was working on this document under the chairmanship of Bishop Anthony of Boryspil (Pakanych), Rector of the Kyiv Theological Schools. The need of introduction of amendments into the effective Statute on governance of the UOC was grounded and expressed in detail in the reports of the Commission Chairman Bishop Anthony and Chairman of the Legal Department of the UOC V.F. Volynets [4]. Bishop Anthony in particular began by saying that for the UOC as a self-governing part of the ROC with the rights of broad autonomy it is fundamentally important to harmonize her internal and external life with the provisions of the new Statute of the Mother Church. For, the Russian Church since 2000 has lived according to the new Statute, which was substantially amended and supplemented as compared with the Statute on governance of the ROC, which was adopted in 1988. The Statute on governance of the UOC was adopted by the UOC as early as in 1990, during the tenure of the former Metropolitan of Kyiv Filaret (Denisenko). Since then there have been major changes in the socio-political and socio-economic and religious spheres of the Ukrainian society. The new law on freedom of conscience came into effect. The Statute was to be brought to the norms of current legislation. In addition, the old wording of the Statute had a lot of stylistic mistakes and grammatical errors. In particular there was such a notion as a territory of the Ukrainian SSR.

In his turn, VF Volynets outlined in detail the legal side of the issue and noted that the statute of the UOC required changes and additions in order to make its provisions correspond the realities of the church life, the needs of our church and the law.

This document in its present wording was adopted by the Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on December 21, 2007. [5] According to the Statute of the ROC (Chapter VIII, paragraph 18), the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kiev and All Ukraine approved with his signature and seal the version of the Statute on governance of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and handed over the document for registration. The changes and additions in the new edition of the Statute were registered at the State Committee on Nationalities and Religions of Ukraine by Decree 50 of 02 June 2008.

First of all, the version of the Statute on governance of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church adopted on 21.12.200 reflects and logically developed the standards set forth by the Resolution on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Bishops’ Council of the ROC, which was chaired by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II on October 25-27, 1990.
The Resolution goes in particular:

1. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church obtains independence and self-governance.

2. Thereby the name “Ukrainian Exarchate” is abolished.

3. Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is elected by the Ukrainian episcopate and is blessed by His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

4. Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church bears the title ‘His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine’.

5. Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine is conferred on a title “The Most Blessed”, within the limits of the Ukrainian Church.

6. Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine enjoys the privilege of wearing two Panagias and the privilege of precarrying cross in worship.

7. The Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church elects and appoints ruling and vicar bishops, established and abolishes dioceses inside Ukraine.

8. Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine as Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

9. Present Resolution of the Bishop’s Council of the Russian Orthodox Church is subject to confirmation of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church with introduction of the corresponding changes into the Statute of Government of the Russian Orthodox Church. [7].

***

The current status of Ukrainian Orthodox Church today is the optimal. By the scope of her rights, our Church today is not inferior, not only to the autonomous, but to some of autocephalous churches. The canonical status granted to our church eighteen years ago have passed the test of time, has shown its viability and have given us the opportunity to join the flock, to become, according to the Apostle, “all for all”.

Footnotes in the text:

[1] “The Ukrainian Orthodox Church shall be self-governing with the broad right of autonomy.In its life and activity it shall be guided by the Tomos of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia of 1990 and by the Statute of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church confirmed by its Primate and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia “(Chapter VIII, paragraph 17).

[2] Concerning the UOC we’ll bring to you notice only one of the recent documents of the period, namely the “Resolutions on the Internal Life and External Work of the Russian Orthodox Church” adopted by the Council of Bishops in July 2008. In paragraph 25 of the Resolutions of the Holy Church, the Council, appreciating “the selfless ministry of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kyiv and All Ukraine, and the episcopate and clergy who serve today in a difficult situation of religious and political instability in Ukraine”, states the steady growth and development of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church uniting Orthodox people in Jesus Christ regardless of their political and ideological attitudes and views. ”

The Council extended the pastoral gratitude to the faithful children of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and love. The Council approved activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Hierarchy in searching the ways to restore the canonical church peace and unity of the Ukrainian Orthodox (paragraph 26) (Resolution of Holy Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, ” On the Internal Life and External Work of the Russian Orthodox Church.” Moscow, June 24-29 2008).

[3] Message by the Local Council to beloved in the Lord pastors, honorable monastics, and all the faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church. / / JMP, № 2, 2009. P. 22.

[4] Council of Bishops of December 21 of 2007. Reports, Materials, Decisions. Kyiv Metropolis 2008. S. 25 – 34.

[5] Report of Proceedings 2 of the Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on 21 December 2007. / / Archive Office of Metropolitan of Kiev.

[6] The Council of Bishops of the ROC of February 18-23, 1997 the title “Beatitude” was fixed for the Primate of the UOC throughout the full canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church.

[7] This provision was carried into effect by the Local Council of the ROC on January 27-28, 2009

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