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Filaret’s Funeral Procession Reaches St. Volodymyr’s as Kyiv Patriarchate Elects Nikodim

His passing marks a turning point in Ukraine’s long drive for an independent national church.

Overview

  • On March 22, a memorial liturgy at St. Michael’s in Kyiv preceded a procession to St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral for final rites and burial in line with Filaret’s spiritual will.
  • The Orthodox Church of Ukraine announced on March 20 that Filaret had died after a recent hospitalization, with reports describing him as 97 or “in his 98th year.”
  • Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate on March 21 elected Archbishop Nikodim (Volodymyr Kobzar) as their new patriarch.
  • In a joint statement, Kyiv Patriarchate hierarchs pledged to maintain their church as an independent institution with no intention of entering other ecclesiastical structures.
  • President Volodymyr Zelensky and senior officials paid respects during the public farewell, as Metropolitan Epiphaniy led prayers and lauded Filaret’s role in securing the 2018 autocephaly.