Zaporozhye, Zaporozhye Province, Ukraine, November 14, 2025
Photo: Facebook
His Eminence Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye and Melitopol of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church celebrated the 20th anniversary of his episcopal consecration yesterday with a Divine Liturgy at the Holy Protection Cathedral in Zaporozhye.
The service was concelebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and His Grace Bishop Anton of Korsun, vicar of the Cherkasy Diocese, along with clergy of the Zaporozhye Diocese.
Photo: Facebook
The celebration was also blessed with the presence of the wonderworking Behold My Humility Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Met. Luke is recognized as one of the most authoritative hierarchs of the canonical UOC and has been an outspoken critic of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople’s interference in Ukrainian Church affairs and the actions of the violent schismatics of the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”
OrthoChristian has published many articles from Met. Luke.
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Photo: Facebook
Met. Luke was born on July 11, 1971, in Khartsyzsk, Donetsk Province, Ukraine. He graduated from Donetsk Medical University with honors in 1998 and received a master’s degree in medical sciences in 2000.
He was ordained to the diaconate in March 1998 and to the priesthood in March 1999. He served at St. Nicholas Church in Donetsk from May 1999 to August 2005.
On December 25, 2002, he received monastic tonsure at the Holy Dormition-Svyatogorsk Lavra with the name Luke in honor of St. Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky). He was elevated to the rank of archimandrite in May 2004.
He was consecrated Bishop of Vasilkov, vicar of the Kiev Metropolia and appointed abbot of the Nativity of the Mother of God Glinsk Hermitage, on November 13, 2005, at the Kiev Caves Lavra. He was elevated to the rank of Archbishop on April 29, 2008.
On May 8, 2008, he was appointed ruling bishop of the Konotop-Glukhov Diocese, while retaining his duties as abbot of Glinsk Hermitage. On December 23, 2010, he was appointed ruling bishop of the Zaporozhye and Melitopol Diocese.
On March 15, 2013, he was appointed chairman of the Synodal Department for Pastoral Care of the Cossacks of Ukraine and Spiritual-Physical Education of Youth. He also serves as a member of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints.
Met. Luke was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan on August 17, 2016, by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine.
He holds a candidate degree in theology for his dissertation on the theology of creation in the teaching of St. Gregory Palamas, and a candidate degree in medical sciences in social medicine, which he received in 2015.
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