The release of the 2025 calendar by the Russian Orthodox Church has stirred controversy in Ukraine and beyond.
This is due to the inclusion of photos of Metropolitan Onufriy, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – UOC (of the Moscow Patriarchate), and other Ukrainian hierarchs in the calendar.
The images from the Russian calendar were made public by the newspaper Patriot and showcased on the Ukrainian website Religion Pravda.
One notable case is that of Metropolitan Mark of Khust, featured in the Russian Orthodox Church’s calendar despite leading the province in Transcarpathia (Mukachevo).
His close ties to Moscow are evident, casting doubt on any claims of independence, as highlighted in Patriot’s report.
It is pointed out that he holds Russian citizenship and mentions Patriarch Kirill of Moscow during his services.
It is worth noting that in May 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, under Metropolitan Onufriy, declared its autonomy from the Moscow Patriarchate.
However, there has been no visible effort from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to fully break ties with the Russian Patriarchate or seek complete independence.
Surprisingly, there has been no reaction to the calendar publication, nor any request to remove the names and images of Ukrainian hierarchs from the official Russian Orthodox Church calendar.
It has also come to light that Metropolitan Onufriy and 20 priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church hold Russian passports, and there have been refusals to engage in dialogue with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Epifaniy.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
