OCU honors memory of one of the founders of Ukrainian church schism

On April 29, 2025, in the village of Kosmach, Ivano-Frankivsk region, representatives of the OCU honored the memory of one of the founders of the Ukrainian church schism, Vladimir Romaniuk, who bore the title of “Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine” in the schism. It was in the local church of the village of Kosmach that the “bishop’s ordination” took place 35 years ago. This is reported by the OCU website.

“The celebrations began with a cathedral service of the Divine Liturgy, led by His Eminence Metropolitan Andriy of Halych, the head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Diocese of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. His Eminence was concelebrated by Metropolitan Daniel, Metropolitan Roman of Vinnytsia and Bratslav, Metropolitan Joasaph of Ivano-Frankivsk and Halych, Archbishop Julian of Kolomyia and Kosiv, Bishop Pavlo of Kolomyia, Bishop Yefrem of Vasylkiv and numerous clergy,” – the statement reads.

It should be noted that Volodymyr Romaniuk headed the UOC-KP in 1993-1995 and was the predecessor of the current head of the organization, Filaret Denisenko. Romaniuk’s death is still considered a mystery in Ukrainian history, as he had a long property conflict with Denisenko.

He died under mysterious circumstances on July 14, 1995. On that day, at about nine o’clock, after a phone call, the patriarch, having changed into secular clothes, left his residence for the Botanical Garden of Kyiv University. Here, in the depths of the garden, on one of the benches, he had an appointment. Two women were waiting for Romaniuk on the bench.

According to the official version, Romaniuk became ill, the women present at the meeting tried to resuscitate him for two hours, possibly breaking his ribs during the heart massage and giving him direct injections into his heart (as noted in the forensic expert’s report), but when the ambulance arrived, the “resuscitators” disappeared. This was Patriarch Volodymyr’s fourth heart attack: out of the nineteen months of his patriarchate, he spent seven in the hospital.

Romaniuk was supposed to be buried on the territory of Hagia Sophia, but this ended in massive clashes with the police and internal troops. The body could not be brought directly to the territory of St. Sophia Cathedral and was buried under the bell tower. The events of July 18, 1995, went down in history as Black Tuesday.