Cherkasy, Cherkasy Province, Ukraine, September 24, 2025
Photo: Union of Orthodox Journalists
His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kanev of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church has issued an open letter to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, calling for the cancelation of the supposed legitimization of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine and demanding action against the violent persecution of canonical Orthodox believers.
Met. Theodosy describes his diocese as “one of the most affected dioceses in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church” by the OCU “thieves and robbers.”
His Eminence recounts the violent seizure of the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy last October, providing graphic details of the attack: “They poisoned priests, monks and laity with tear gas, they broke their arms, legs, teeth and heads. They shot at them right inside the Cathedral. They tore my vestments, broke my staff, and then hit me on the head with a club with such force that I suffered a concussion. Only the monastic klobuk saved me from certain death by softening the blow.”
He notes bitterly that OCU leader Epiphany Dumenko recently conducted services in the seized cathedral, stating: “The blood of monks and priests has not yet completely dried on the cathedral floor, the wounds on the bodies of Cherkasy confessors of faith have not yet healed, and Mr. Dumenko has already come to someone else’s cathedral and illegally ascended to my cathedra.”
The Metropolitan emphasizes that Dumenko “performed his action on stolen liturgical vessels, including a chalice that was personally given to me by spiritual children many years ago at my episcopal consecration.”
The hierarch questions why Patriarch Bartholomew has remained silent despite having “full authority over them according to the tomos you issued.” He asks pointedly: “Why have you not forbidden your charges from the OCU to commit these atrocities? After all, you so often declare that ‘the Ukrainian Orthodox people are in your heart.’ Then why don’t you stop these criminals? Why haven’t you even said at least one word of sympathy or support for the beaten and maimed believers of Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk and other regions of Ukraine, if we are ‘in your heart?’”
The letter draws extensive parallels to the 1920s Soviet persecution of the Church through the Renovationist schism, noting that Constantinople’s predecessor, Patriarch Gregory VII, had supported the schismatics then. “Today, a century later, the situation is repeating itself with almost 100% similarity,” Met. Theodosy writes. “The state authorities of Ukraine are persecuting our Church and doing everything for its total destruction. The ‘Orthodox Church of Ukraine,’ created with your direct participation, is directly involved in this.”
He warns that Pat. Bartholomew’s position could trigger “a second great schism in the Church,” that his successors will have to clean up.
The Metropolitan addresses the Patriarch’s recent French television interview, expressing dismay at his lack of regret over creating the OCU.
He rejects any possibility of future unity between the OCU and the canonical Church, declaring: “Therefore, it was very strange to hear your words that in years or decades it will become possible to unite the OCU with our Church. Believe me, this will not happen, because there can be no union of Christ with Belial.”
Met. Theodosy calls for concrete action, insisting that “simply revoking the tomos you granted to the ‘Orthodox Church of Ukraine’ will not be enough.” He demands “the cancelation of your legitimization of Ukrainian schismatics” and insists they “must repent of the sin of schism and only then can the question of performing lawful ordinations over them be raised.”
He adds that “these issues can’t be resolved without the participation of the lawful Mother Church for Ukrainian Orthodoxy—the Russian Orthodox Church, regardless of any political problems of today.”
The letter also criticizes the Patriarch’s teaching about “first without equals,” alien to the spirit of Church conciliarity, which he personally openly declared for the first time on French television.
Met. Theodosy acknowledges the difficulty of changing course: “Yes, changing one’s decisions is difficult even for an ordinary person, and all the more so for a hierarch in your respected position and venerable age. But surely personal honor, or even the honor of the throne you occupy, can’t be more important than saving world Orthodoxy from a new great schism?”
“Today, Your Holiness, you hold in your hands both the future peace of the ecumene and the hypothetical irreversible schism of world Orthodoxy,” the Metropolitan concludes. “We ask you not to make a fatal mistake, Your Holiness.”
His Eminence emphasizes that despite the lawlessness where “the Constitution and laws in Ukraine are now practically not functioning,” believers continue to hope that “the Lord will grant you a change of mind and a change in your decisions” while the Patriarch still lives, as they are “shedding their confessional blood” under persecution from “the godless authorities in Ukraine and their faithful servants—the so-called ‘clergy’ of the OCU.”
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