The Synod of the Polish Orthodox Church has called for prayers to overcome the schism in Ukraine

On October 27, 2026, in Warsaw, a meeting of the fall Holy Synod of Bishops of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church was held, chaired by Metropolitan Savva of Warsaw and All Poland. During the meeting, the Synod considered a number of internal and external church matters.

The hierarchs paid special attention to the crisis in global Orthodoxy that arose following the schism in Ukraine, emphasizing that only deep faith and sincere prayer will help overcome the current difficulties.

In addition, they discussed cooperation with the Patriarchates of Constantinople, Bulgaria, and Georgia, as well as issues related to religious education in schools. The Church emphasized the importance of the spiritual upbringing of young people, noting the need for joint efforts by educators and parents to protect children from negative influences.

Special attention was given to pastoral issues and church discipline. The Synod reaffirmed the Church’s strict position regarding burial: the cremation of the bodies of the deceased is not permitted. Clear guidelines were also provided regarding the burial of stillborn infants—according to church practice, they are laid to rest with a brief prayer for the repose of the soul, and a full Divine Liturgy is not celebrated in such cases.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the text of the Christmas message was approved, and support was reaffirmed for historical and patriotic initiatives, including the commemoration of the victory at Khotyn, for which the Church offers prayers for the well-being of the Fatherland.

As a reminder, we previously reported that the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church (PAOC) has once again reaffirmed its position regarding the need to resolve the ecclesiastical conflict related to the creation of the OCU at a Pan-Orthodox Council.