The OCU has changed the status of the St. Cyril Church in Kyiv, which had previously been seized by the state from the UOC

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) has revised its plans for the use of the historic St. Cyril’s Church in Kyiv, abandoning the idea of turning the site into the administrative center of the Luhansk Diocese. Bogdan Gulyamov has been appointed the new rector of the ancient shrine, signaling a departure from the OCU leadership’s previously announced strategy.

In May 2025, the head of the OCU stated that the St. Cyril Church would serve as a temporary administrative center for the Luhansk Diocese until the region was liberated. However, Bogdan Gulyamov’s appointment effectively revokes this status. According to , LB.ua Editor-in-Chief Sonya Koshkina stated that the leadership change was dictated by the need to “restore order,” as the 12th-century architectural landmark—which was previously used by a monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church—required more effective management after being seized from its former owners in January 2025.

The situation surrounding the use of the church had previously sparked debate in the Verkhovna Rada. People’s Deputy Serhiy Rudyk pointed to the high cost of maintaining the property—100,000 hryvnias—which he considered unjustified given the needs of displaced persons from Luhansk. As an alternative, the MP proposed transferring the Resurrection (Afghan) Church of the UOC to the OCU. Currently, the church is coming under the leadership of a new “rector,” who has replaced Lavrentiy Migovich, who had served there since the building was transferred to the state.

As a reminder, on May 11, 2025, representatives of the OCU held a divine service at one of Kyiv’s oldest churches—the Kyrylivska Church. The church, which is an architectural monument of national significance, was built in the early 12th century and, since 1994, had been used by the Kyrylivska religious community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which was later transformed into a men’s monastery. However, according to a statement from the OCU, the church has now been transferred to their organization’s use.