Home page News
Metropolitan Onufry of Chernovtsy and Bukovin…

Metropolitan Onufry of Chernovtsy and Bukovina elected Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

OE1A7073On August 13, 2014, the Bishops’ Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which took place at the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, elected Metropolitan Onufry of Chernovtsy and Bukovina, Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan See of Kiev, as Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

 

The Council was attended by 82 bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church including 52 diocesan bishops, 22 suffragan bishops, and 8 (out of 9) supernumerary bishops.

 

***

 

Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovsky) was born on November 5, 1944, at the village of Korytnoe near Chernovtsy, to the family of a priest.

 

In 1964, he graduated from the Chernovtsy Technical College and worked in a construction organization. In 1966, he entered the Department of Technology of Chernovtsy State University. In 1969, he left the university and entered Moscow Theological Seminary. In 1970 he joined the monastic community of the St. Sergius Monastery of the Trinity.

 

On March 18, 1971, he took monastic vows and on June 20, was ordained as hierodeacon. On May 29, 1972, he was ordained as hieromonk, and in 1980 was elevated to the rank of hegumen.

 

On August 28, 1984, he was appointed rector of the church of the Transfiguration of the Mount Athos representation at the village of Lukino near Moscow.

 

On June 28, 1985, he was appointed dean of the St. Sergius Monastery of the Trinity.

 

On December 15, 1986, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

 

In 1988, he graduated from Moscow Theological Academy with the degree of Candidate of Theology.

 

On July 20, 1988, he was appointed father superior of the Pochaev Monastery of the Dormition.

 

On December 9, 1990, he was consecrated as Bishop of Chernovtsy and Bukovina at St. Vladimir’s in Kiev.

 

On January 22, 1992, he refused to sign the UOC Bishops’ Council request to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II to grant autocephaly to the Church in Ukraine and on January 23, he was transferred by Metropolitan Philaret (Denisenko, later anathemized) to the See of Ivano-Frankovsk.

 

On April 7, 1992, he was reinstated in the See of Chernovtsy.

 

On July 28, 1994, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop and appointed as permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

 

On November 22, 2000, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.

 

On November 23, 2013, His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine granted him the right to wear a second pectoral icon.

 

By the UOC Holy Synod decision of February 24, 2014, he was elected Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan See of Kiev.

 

By the UOC Holy Synod decision of March 19, 2014 (Minutes No. 1), he as Locum Tenens was included in the Synod as its permanent member assigned, by the right of seniority, the place occupied by the Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, the first among the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.

 

Patriarchal Press Service

DECR Communication Service

Photos by the press service of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Share:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends condolences following the explosion at Iranian port of Bandar Abbas

27.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches сelebrate Liturgy at Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius

25.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin

23.04.2025

A meeting of the Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches has taken place

22.04.2025

Сondolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the passing of Pope Francis

21.04.2025

His Holiness Patriarch celebrates Paschal vespers on Easter Sunday at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

20.04.2025

Paschal Message by Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia

19.04.2025

On Good Friday the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Vespers with the Procession of the Burial Sheet of the Saviour at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow.

18.04.2025

On Thursday of Holy Week the Primate of the Russian Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy and Office for the Consecration of Myrrh at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

17.04.2025

Patriarch Kirill addresses Primates of Local Orthodox Churches, Christian Leaders, Heads of State, and International organizations regarding law banning the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church

11.04.2025

Primate of the Russian Church leads celebrations in Donskoy Monastery marking the centenary of Patriarch Tikhon’s demise

06.04.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends congratulations to Archbishop Joani of Tirana and All Albania on his enthronement

29.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends condolences over devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand

28.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends congratulations to Archbishop Joani of Tirana and All Albania on his election as Primate of Albanian Orthodox Church

16.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends letter to His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch concerning tragic developments in Syria

11.03.2025

Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk celebrates Divine Liturgy at the church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr in Rome

27.04.2025

DECR Chairman attended the funeral of Pope Francis

26.04.2025

DECR Chairman attends farewell ceremony for Pope Francis

25.04.2025

DECR Chairman meets with Russian Ambassador to Italy

25.04.2025

DECR Chairman begins his visit to Italy and the Vatican

24.04.2025

First Hierarch of the Serbian Church visits Donskoy Monastery in Moscow

23.04.2025

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije visits Serbian Metochion in Moscow

23.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin

23.04.2025

DECR Chairman attends a meeting of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group

22.04.2025

A meeting of the Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches has taken place

22.04.2025

Delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church arrives in Moscow headed by His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia

21.04.2025

DECR Chairman expresses condolences on the passing of Pope Francis

21.04.2025

His Holiness Patriarch celebrates Paschal vespers on Easter Sunday at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

20.04.2025

On Good Friday the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Vespers with the Procession of the Burial Sheet of the Saviour at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow.

18.04.2025

On Thursday of Holy Week the Primate of the Russian Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy and Office for the Consecration of Myrrh at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

17.04.2025

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب