On October 24, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church announced the retirement of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol, “considering his state of health.” Met. Hilarion was undergoing treatment in Germany at the time of the decision to retire him and replace him with His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, formerly of Vladivostok.
There has been confusion about this in Ukraine, since the Donetsk diocese has not formally transferred from the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. However, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, in turn, has not yet canonically become autocephalous and cannot do so until its representatives can be present at Synod meeting of their Mother Church, the Moscow Patriarchate.
Of course, the UOC is fully autonomous according to its charter, and has declared itself entirely autonomous from the MP since the beginning of the war in 2022. However, the Donetsk region has by referendum made itself fully a part of the Russian Federation, and has no communication with Ukraine other than receiving shells and missiles from their brothers across the border, which have taken thousands of civilian lives in the Donbas and caused untold destruction.
All of that aside, Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhie and Melitopol has expressed his support for Metropolitan Hilarion, and his firm disagreement with all the internet hype against the move.
Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol
Christ is in our midst, my dear readers!
With sadness I look at how the flywheel of discussion on the theme of the recent decision concerning Metropolitan Hilarion. And it’s sad, because all these futile invectives and actions of internet “battalions” give joy to the enemy of mankind and bring even greater confusion into the life of our Mother-Church. After all, if Christians do not have peace between themselves, then where will peace come from in our society?
I have great respect for Vladyka Hilarion, to whom I am greatly obliged for many things. He was and ever will be for me an example of a good shepherd, who “gave his life for his sheep.” Metropolitan Hilarion was a man to whom God gave many talents. He was an excellent administrator, director, builder, and man of prayer. As a doctor according to my secular education, I can say that the Donetsk hierarch was an example of endurance of unbelievably difficult physical sorrows, and at the same time of ceaseless service and fulfillment of his duties.
It is also important to remember here, that no matter what any clergyman’s merits are before God, no matter how much he did for the Church, the most precious thing to the Lord will be not the building of churches and monasteries, not the opening of new parishes, not ordinations, but a humble heart and the endurance of sorrows, borne with gratitude and love for God. This is what our Heavenly Father expects from each of us.
And in expressing my support for Vladyka Hilarion, I wish him strength in bearing his life’s cross, thanks to which he will be able to enter into the joy of the Lord and become a participant in the common exaltation of the hosts of Donetsk saints, who are his prayerful intercessors and protectors.
And to us who so excitedly talk about this news, or are disdainful of the reason for Vladyka Hilarion’s being sent into retirement, I would like to wish that we have faith in God and in His good Providence; for He knows better than us how best to determine people’s destinies.
I ask everyone not to dance to someone’s pipe, not to be pharisees, to not give our enemies yet another excuse to mock our Mother-Church, and for we ourselves (!) to not fall into fits of anger.
