Will the OCU succeed in liquidating the Kyiv Patriarchate?

The relationship between the heads of the UOC-KP and the OCU, despite many common interests, has long been less than ideal. The reincarnation of the “Kyiv Patriarchate” after the launch of the American-Constantinople project of the OCU in 2018 is perhaps the clearest proof that Filaret Denisenko did not plan to join the structure of the “new church.” This position was confirmed by his rhetoric against the OCU, which remained unchanged for 7 years.

However, the recent “friendly meeting” between the heads of the UOC-KP and the OCU was a kind of systemic failure in Filaret’s position. The OCU solemnly declared that the relationship between the “mentor and students” had improved. However, most representatives of the “Kyiv Patriarchate” are not so optimistic and claim that the existence of the UOC-KP is threatened. One of the high-ranking representatives of the UOC-KP contacted us to provide details that remained “behind the scenes” of the conflict between the UOC-KP and the OCU.

Filaret’s isolation: who is “healing” the head of the UOC-KP and in whose interests

To begin with, the Kyiv Patriarchate is experiencing a systemic crisis. The structure, which once caused serious trouble for its direct competitor, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is now going through hard times. Although Filaret refused to join the OCU, all the assets of the UOC-KP ended up there. This has complicated the work of the organization’s management structure, and Denisenko’s failing health has revealed the old problem of the “honorary patriarch” that took place during his time as head of the Russian Orthodox Church exarchate. We are talking about Filaret’s relatives, who actually took control of their old relative, thus exacerbating the apparatus struggle within the UOC-KP.

“Patriarch Filaret has been kept in isolation since the moment he appeared at the Liturgy on August 24 with many wounds on his body. His relatives told the doctors that he had fallen in the shower, and Archpriest John, the patriarch’s confessor for the past decades, that he had problems with his blood vessels. The doctors very clearly hinted to us that, according to the tests, the Patriarch was being poisoned with inadequate doses of medication, but since the tests were taken by representatives of the clinic where his niece works, we cannot obtain them now. on November 5, we all learned about the Patriarch’s removal to St. Michael’s after the fact from the Three Saints’ House (the residence of the head of the OCU – ed.). We don’t know any details of the meeting, no one was there except his family and Dumenko’s followers. After that, to this day, he is not brought to worship,” said our source in the UOC-KP.

After the meeting between Epiphany Dumenko and Filaret Denisenko on November 5, the hierarchs of the UOC-KP began to “sound the alarm”, claiming that “their patriarch” was forcibly brought “to bow” to Dumenko. According to the source, even on the day of Prince Volodymyr’s memory, Filaret spoke unequivocally about the leaders of the OCU and was determined to defend the UOC-KP.

“On St. Vladimir’s Day, he, clearly being in his right mind, clearly called Dumenko and Zoria traitors. And this does not seem to be a problem with his ‘Spiritual Testament’,” the source added.

Speaking of the “Spiritual Testament”. on October 19, a month before the meeting with Dumenko, Filaret signed a document in which he categorically outlined his attitude to the OCU and its key players, forbidding them to even participate in his funeral service. Denisenko also mentioned the dependence of the OCU on Phanar, emphasizing his disagreement with the status of the organization. The OCU hastened to call the “Spiritual Testament” a fake, explaining it by Filaret’s illness. They say, “the patriarch has no memory, so they use it as they want.” The Kyiv Patriarchate itself categorically denies this statement by the media close to Yevstratiy Zoria.

“I will say even more. His nieces were locked in their rooms after the Liturgy and demanded that he withdraw his signature, which he did not do. This was told by the nun Varvara, who has been working in the Patriarchate for many years,” said our source in the UOC-KP, claiming that Filaret was clearly aware of what he was signing and why.

Thus, based on the information we received from our sources in the UOC-KP, we can draw the first conclusion. Relatives of Filaret Denisenko, who take care of his treatment and have direct access to his “body,” although they do not persuade him to join the OCU, are obviously working in the interests of Dumenko, trying in every way to level the idea of the existence of the “Kyiv Patriarchate” after the death of its head.

What the OCU is up to

Naturally, the interest of the OCU in the crisis that has now arisen in the UOC-KP is obvious. Dumenko’s people will not dare to go against the Kyiv Patriarchate in the same way as they do with the UOC. Firstly, because they will simply not be understood by their own people, given the ideological and historical proximity of the organizations. Secondly, the OCU has a real opportunity to “heal” the split in its organization in order to provide at least some positive results to the Greeks, who are openly disappointed with the activities of the Ukrainian schism.

In this context, the fact that the Synod of the OCU, which took place on November 8, three days after the meeting between Epiphany and Filaret, did not mark this significant event for the OCU at all. The press release even talked about Dumenko’s participation in some second-rate forum in the Czech Republic, and the meeting with Filaret was ignored. However, the silence of the OCU Synod on this issue is intended only for an external audience, while inside the organization, completely different information is stubbornly circulating.

“The last Synod of the OCU made a classified decision (regarding the UOC-KP – ed.). We were informed about the classified decision of the Synod by N (a hierarch of the OCU, whose name we are not disclosing for obvious reasons – ed.

Of course, we can ironize as much as we want about the fact that the story looks more like a “conspiracy,” but let’s analyze the reaction of the OCU leadership to the fact of the meeting with Filaret. Epiphany Dumenko, for example, awarded Filaret with an insignia, congratulating him on the 30th anniversary of his “patriarchate” and thanking him for his many years of work. One of the influential hierarchs of the OCU, Dmitry Rudyuk, also complimented Filaret, nostalgic for the “old days” when everyone “lived together, did not yearn.” OCU spokesman Yevstratiy Zoria, who had previously called Filaret almost an “old man,” succinctly posted on his social media the news of a “sincere meeting” between Filaret, no longer even an “honorary” but simply a “holy patriarch,” and Dumenko.

Everything indicates that the OCU was satisfied with the meeting with Filaret. Was it a “meeting for the sake of a meeting”? It is unlikely. At the very least, the OCU could have achieved the signing of a memorandum that would have canceled the “Spiritual Testament” and allowed Epiphany to lead Filaret’s funeral, thus indicating the continuity of the OCU and the UOC-KP. The maximum that could happen is a census of assets and property of the UOC-KP in favor of the OCU through some kind of property agreement.

What is planned by the UOC-KP?

In the current circumstances, the task for the hierarchs of the UOC-KP is to unblock Dumenko’s “spell” imposed on Filaret. The fact that Denisenko, after talking to the head of the OCU, did not meet with any of his subordinates to clarify the situation indicates that they are present. “At the moment, we are planning to look for ways to unblock the Patriarch, ” said our source in the UOC-KP.

Here, by the way, it is important to note the role of the UOC-KP’s administrator, Andriy Marutsak. on November 11, he held a “working meeting” with Filaret. As of today, Marutsak is the only one from the UOC-KP who has been able to get close to Denisenko. This state of affairs leads to certain reflections on the neatness of the UOC-KP administrator.

“Marutsak may very well be working with the OCU himself. He slowed down the Bishops’ meeting in every possible way and blackmailed the American hierarch Luke away from it. But now it is difficult to say whether this is dust in the eye or the result of pressure from the bishops, since Marutsak himself was not allowed to see the Patriarch before,” said our interlocutor.

In this context, it is worth noting that the “chronicler” of the UOC-KP and Filaret personally, journalist Yuriy Doroshenko, on the Telegram channel “For the Ukrainian Church” controlled by the UOC-KP, has repeatedly spoken disapprovingly, and sometimes even obscenely, about Marutsak. The journalist claims that it is the UOC-KP Chancellor who is a “mole” working to eliminate the Kyiv Patriarchate.

Nevertheless, the majority of the UOC-KP hierarchs have united and are determined to defend the existence of the UOC-KP. the recently held “Bishops’ Council of the UOC-KP” publicly stated that the OCU manipulated the organization and threatened the life of Filaret Denisenko. According to our source, the Kyiv Patriarchate is not letting the situation take its course and is even ready to fight back against Dumenko’s structure if it so desires.

“The state support for the OCU has been shaken because it has discredited itself. We had a conversation with SBU officials who said that they do not plan to interfere in this conflict. At the same time, the GUR has one unit that, at the request of the bishops, promised to intervene on our side if necessary,” the source emphasized.

Wishful thinking and reality

Of course, we do not share the optimism of the UOC-KP representatives in everything. By the example of the terror against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the authorities demonstrate their commitment to the OCU. Perhaps it is not so important to them who will lead this organization in the future, but the loyalty of the OCU is obvious, and Epifaniy is guaranteed dominance at the state and church level. However, nothing can be said for certain at this time. Events are developing so dynamically that everything can change in a month or two.

Nevertheless, if the UOC-KP is realistic about its situation, they cannot rule out the possibility that the OCU will succeed in absorbing the Kyiv Patriarchate. It seems to us that under the circumstances, the only option for the Kyiv Patriarchate not to find itself “at the broken trough” is to try to establish a dialogue with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. First, such a scenario would help put an end to the existing division between the UOC and the UOC-KP and would bring the hierarchs of the Kyiv Patriarchate out of their canonical isolation. Secondly, overcoming the split between the UOC and the UOC-KP would be a major blow to the image of the OCU and would significantly undermine its position at the Ukrainian and international level.