New head of Khmelnytsky Diocese of OCU says there is an acute shortage of personnel in the organization

The head of the Khmelnytsky Diocese of the OCU, Simeon Shostatsky, has again raised the issue of a critical shortage of clergy that has arisen as communities have moved away from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The main problem is that believers are ready to change jurisdiction, while priests are refusing to move to the OCU together with their parishes.

On the air of the Khmelnytsky TV channel TV7plus, Simeon Shostatsky characterized the current situation as a «staff shortage.» According to him, parishioners often take the initiative to transfer, but the clergy remain in their previous positions.«The faithful come, but the priests stay — they do not know what else they are waiting for,» stated the Metropolitan.

The hierarch noted that personnel difficulties accompanied him throughout his church career. He acknowledged that during his 23 years as a bishop in the Moscow Patriarchate, the shortage of clergy has always been felt, but in the current conditions of the OCU, this problem has become much more widespread. The lack of continuity in the transfer of parishes creates serious obstacles to the full-fledged work of the diocese.

In addition to the lack of priesthood, Metropolitan Simeon pointed to an acute shortage of other professionals needed to perform services. According to him, the problem is not only the lack of priests, but also the lack of regents, choir directors and readers who have knowledge of the church charter.

As reported, on April 3, 2026, the Synod of the OCU decided to disband the Kyiv St. Theodosius Monastery with the subsequent inclusion of the monks of the said monastery in the «brethren» of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. In turn, according to the Synod’s order, the premises of the Theodosius Monastery will now be used to house a nunnery of the OCU.