Head of OCU takes control of St. Volodymyr's Cathedral of UOC-KP together with clergy

The head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, officially took over St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral in Kyiv, handing the clergy of the church the relevant decrees on the transition. This event took place during celebrations in the cathedral, securing for the OCU the status of the main religious organization in one of the main churches of the capital.

According to the press service of the OCU, on March 23, 2026, a memorial service for Filaret Denisenko was held at St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral, led by Serhiy Dumenko. During the visit, the head of the OCU handed over official documents to Rector Borys Tabachek and other clergy, which testify to their membership in the religious community of the OCU. The press service of the organization emphasized that the transfer was made on the basis of personal requests of the clergy of St. Volodymyr’s Church and is based on the decisions of the Local Council of the UOC-KP and the so-called Unification Council of December 15, 2018.

As reported earlier, the UOC-KP appointed its new leader after the death of Filaret Denisenko. The new head of the structure is the head of the Sumy Diocese of the UOC-KP, Nikodim Kobzar, whose election was officially announced on March 21, 2026.