The head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, issued a “Decree of the Primate to the Honorary Patriarch Filaret,” published on the OCU website.

“From the publication of a written message and photographs on October 29, 2021, it became known that some clergymen committed actions in Kiev aimed at violating the canonical order and the Church Charter.

By the decision of the Holy Synod (Journal No. 30 meeting of June 25, 2019), approved by the Council of Bishops of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine on December 14, 2019, it was determined that, in full accordance with the canonical rules, the only governor of the Kiev diocese is the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and the “Honorary Patriarch Filaret remains in the episcopate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, but has lost his canonical rights and responsibilities related to the administration of the diocese.”

This means that you, as a retired bishop, are prohibited from taking actions that are the exclusive prerogative of the ruling bishop, in particular, to grant blessings for tonsure into monasticism, ordain to any holy order, grant church awards, issue documents on the appointment and release of clergy and others. church officials, convene and lead church meetings to resolve any issue.

On this basis and having the appropriate confirmation in the above-mentioned resolution of the Holy Synod, I am once again forced to warn you that any service by you and under your leadership of the rite of episcopal ordination, as performed in a state of prohibition, anticanonically and over persons who were not properly chosen by the Church for episcopal service is not recognized as valid now and cannot be recognized in the future,” the document says.