Changes

{{cleanupThe '''Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church''' (UAOC) is the third largest Orthodox Church in Ukraine after the autonomous [[Church of Ukraine|Ukrainian Orthodox Church]] under the Moscow Patriarchate and the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the [[NPOVKyiv Patriarchate]]. The UAOC, intro expandedwhich has its origins in the early 20th century in Ukraine, spelling. Not enough context givenhas preserved the vision of an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Ukrainian nationalism in the Ukrainian Diaspora during the Soviet era and now in independent Ukraine itself.}}

The '''Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church''' is one ==Founding and Dissolution of the UAOC==For centuries what became the UAOC was part of the three major Orthodox Churches Church in Ukraine. The others include , which was founded by the Church of Constantinople and remained part of it prior to the independence of the [[Church of UkraineRussia|Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Rus']]. After the transfer of the seat of the metropolitans of Kiev from Kiev to cities further east and north (and eventually to Moscow Patriarchate)]] the territories of what today is Ukraine came under the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which had jurisdiction over the region returned to Constantinople and eventually to the [[Ukrainian Orthodox Catholic Church-Kyiv Patriarchate]]. The after the [[UAOCUnion of Brest]] has its origins in . It wasn't until the Sobor conquest of 1921 in Kyiv, shortly after Ukraine's new found independence. With the new nation being created, many ethnic Ukrainians living in Ukraine felt by the need for an indigenous [[Autocephalous]] Orthodox rising Russian Empire that its Church. There have been three different "resurrections" of was reunited with the [[UAOC]] in Ukraine, each following a period Church of political persecutionRus'.

==History==In wake Due to the cultural differences that had developed as a result of the Polish occupation and the Union of Brest the break up reunion of the Russian Empire Orthodox Church in Ukraine with the Church of Rus' was opposed by some national groups sought autonomy or autocephaly from Moscow. In 1921 an All-Ukrainian Sobor (Synod) was called in KyivOrthodox, who began advocating the capital establishment of the newly-an independent Church of Ukraine. Although suppressed by the Russian Empire, and following its collapse in the '''early 20th century supporters of an independent Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church''' held an All-Ukrainian Council ('''UAOC'sobor'') was in Kiev that on 5 May 1920 declared independent from the Moscow Patriarchate (MP). The Sobor delegates chose Metropolitan Vasyl (Lypkivsky) as head establishment of the church. A few years later an independent Local Orthodox Church in 1924, Gregory VII, Patriarch of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch, issued a [[tomos]] re-establishing the Kyivan Metropolia as an autocephalous entity. The responsibility of establishing a new Synod of Bishops was given to the Metropolitan-Archbishop of Warsaw, Dionisij ValedynskyjUkraine.

Ukrainian independence was short lived The UAOC sought for hierarchical support, but none of the hierarchs serving in Ukraine would join the Church and consequently in this period1921 a group of clergy and laymen together "consecrated" Archpriest [[Vasyl Lypkivskyj]] as a bishop, enthroning him as Metropolitan of Kyiv and eventually the USSR came into beingAll Ukraine. The Soviets were openly atheist He consequently "consecrated" other bishops for Ukraine and Russification was being introduced throughout the USSR. The Soviet government persecuted dioceses of the UAOC (for being Orthodox, formed in Canada and for being the United States by Ukrainian); nationalists and converts from Ukrainian Catholicism. (These eparchies later became the [[Russian Ukrainian Orthodox Churchof Canada]] also prevented and the [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the UAOC from establishing their ecclesiastical order for some timeUSA|Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA]]. )

During World War II, Orthodox Ukrainians enjoyed somewhat increased freedom under German occupation. (The UAOC in Ukraine was a battleground between dissolved following the German Bolshevik occupation and annexation of eastern and Soviet Armies)central Ukraine in the 1920s. In May of 19421924, however, with the blessing Ecumenical Patriarchate unilaterally rescinded the transfer of Metropolitan Dionsiy, more than a dozen bishops were consecrated the Orthodox Church in St. Andrew Cathedralwhat today is western Ukraine, KyivBelarus, in fulfillment of and Poland to the 1924 tomos Church of the EP. Finally, Rus' and established it seemed that ecclesiastical order could be established for as the UAOCindependent [[Church of Poland]]. This time is referred to as Although operating on the "second resurrection" territory of interwar Poland and officially called the church. HoweverPolish Orthodox Church, history would make it a short lived realitythis new Local Orthodox Church's flock was primarily Ukrainian and Belorussian in composition.

On October 8, 1942 Archbishop Nikanor and [[Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) of Kiev|Bishop Mstyslav]] ==Restoration of the [[UAOC]] ==During World War II the German government strongly encouraged Ukrainian and Belorussian nationalism as a counterweight to Polish and Soviet resistance and Metropolitan Oleksiy (Hromadsky) influence in Eastern Europe. It was this that allowed dissident hierarchs of the Ukrainian Autonomous Polish Orthodox Church entered into an Act in what had been southeastern Poland and the western USSR to declare the restoration of Union at the Pochayiv UAOC in 1942. Bishop [[Polycarp (PochaevSikorsky) Lavra uniting these two church hierarchies. German occupation authorities and pro-Russian hierarchs of Lutsk]], formerly of the Autonomous Church convinced Metropolitan Oleksiy of Poland, became the first legitimately consecrated hierarch to withdraw his signature. Metropolitan Oleksiy was executed in Volynia on May 7, 1943 by UPA serve as primate of the UAOC ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_Insurgent_Army Ukrainian Insurgent Army]its pre-WWII hierarchical consecrations had all been invalid under canon law) insurgents.

The Russian Orthodox Church regained its general monopoly after World War II ==UAOC in the Ukrainian SSR. Most Diaspora==The restoration of the other churches were liquidated, UAOC in Ukraine proved to be brief as the Soviet government only recognized the Moscow Patriarchate (MP). The MP region was revived at occupied by the time of Red Army in the Russian Revolution, as the only legitimate church in most of 1940s and annexed to the Soviet Union. Many accused it of being a puppet Those hierarchs and clergy of the Communist Party. After UAOC who remained in Soviet Ukraine were forced to submit to the suspicious death of Patriarch [[Tikhon of MoscowPatriarchate]] some churches sought to remain independent or else sent into internal exile or executed. Several of Moscow; something that was tolerated until after World War II. In the post-war years, many Ukrainian Orthodox clergy not affiliated with Moscow Church's hierarchs fled to Germany or the United States. The UAOC in [[Ukraine]] was then liquidated by the Soviets with the assistance advance of the Moscow Patriarchate. Any UAOC hierarchs or clergy who remained Red Army and ended up in Ukraine and refused to join the Russian Church were executed or sent to concentration camps. A few years later the same thing happened to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Diaspora in Western Ukraine (Galicia) and Transcarpathiathe West, among them Metropolitan Polycarp.

Re-gaining In the state recognition following years the UAOC existed only in the Diaspora, with parishes scattered across the globe in Australia, North and South America, and Western Europe. It, like other jurisdictions present in the late 1980sWest following the Bolshevik Revolution, drifted in and out of communion with world Orthodoxy. Following the Church was initially governed from abroad by Patriarch repose of Metropolitan Polycarp in France in 1953, Archbishop [[Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) of Kiev]]. Subsequent to his death, he was succeeded by Patriarchs Volodymyr |Mstyslav (RomanyukSkrypnyk) and Dymytry (Yarema). Patriarch Volodymyr would, during his time as patriarch, separate from the [[UAOC]] to found of Parma became primate of the UOC-KP, together with Metropolitan (now Patriarch) Filaret (Denysenko)UAOC in 1969.

==UAOC Returns to Ukraine==In 2003, 1990 the weakening of the Church Sobor elected Metropolitan MEFODIY (Kudriakov) central government of Ternopil to lead the church. As Father & Head Soviet Union allowed for the restoration of the UAOC worldwide, he is Metropolitan of Kyiv & all in Ukraine. Since his elevation, he has worked towards a more global visibility for the church, including a pastoral visit the United States in 2006first time since World War II. He has fostered continued positive relations with Not long after the Ukrainian government UAOC accepted into its communion hierarchs and other religious communities. The Patriarchal Cathedral clergy led by Metropolitan [[Philaret (Denysenko) of Kiev|Philaret of Kiev]] of the UAOC is Moscow Patriarchate and elected the historic church 92-year old Metropolitan Mstyslav as Patriarch of St. Andrew the First-Called in Kyivand All Ukraine, enthroning him on 6 November 1990.

Geographically Following the church currently has a stronger presence repose of Patriarch Mstyslav in Western Ukrainian provinces with a smaller representation elsewhere. Previous to 19951993 two new Patriarchs of Kyiv, [[Volodomyr (Romaniuk)]] and [[Dymytrii (Yarema) of Kyiv|Dymytriy (Yarema)]], there were more parishes abroad in the Ukrainian diaspora communities elected by factions of Canada and the United States. HoweverUAOC, many those under Patriarch Volodymyr largely consisting of supporters of these parishes now form the separate churches, former Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Philaret who together founded the [[Kyiv Patriarchate of Ukrainian Orthodox Church . It was around this time that both of Canada]] the UAOC's dioceses in North America together with large parts of its Western European and Australian flocks left the [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA]], (which are eparchies of to join the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople).

The After the death of Patriarch Dymytriy in 2000 the UAOC elected Archbishop [[UAOCMefodiy (Kudryakov) of Kiev|Methodius]] however, has maintained an ecclesiastical structure outside of Ternopil' as Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine. There are eparchies in [http://www.uaoc.org North & South America, Western Europe and elsewhere]. Metropolitan Mykhayil (Javchak) heads Although the [[UAOC]] has established new dioceses in the Americas Ukrainian Diaspora, it remains on friendly terms with its daughter churches under the Ecumenical Patriarchate and other locations. Significant growth has taken place attempted itself to establish communion with Constantinople in recent times in Latin America. There is also the hopes of having it establish a parish of the church in Canberrauniversally recognized, Australiaindependent Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

His Beatitude MEFODIY continues to provide for the spiritual enrichment of the [[The UAOC]] throughout the world. [http://uaoc.net In today is concentrated in western Ukraine] he and has given special emphasis to its headquarters at the improvement historic Church of seminary life and the education of candidates for the ministrySt. He is also committed to the ongoing dialog for the unification of the Ukrainian Orthodox churchesAndrew in Kiev.

==SourceExternal Links and Sources==*[http://www.uaoc.info/ua/ Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church] (Official Website of the UAOC)*[http://uaoc.org/ Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the USA] (Official Website of the UAOCUSA)*[http://www.uocc.ca/en-ca/about/history/ History of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada] (Official Website of the UOCC)*[http://www.ukrainianorthodoxchurchusa.org/history.html History of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA] (Official Website of the UOCUSA)*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wwiki/indexUkrainian_Autocephalous_Orthodox_Church Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church] (Wikipedia)*[http://en.wikipedia.php?title=Ukrainian_Autocephalous_Orthodox_Church&oldid=66431696 org/wiki/Patriarch_Mstyslav_%28Skrypnyk%29 Mstyslav (Skrypnyk)] (Wikipedia Article)*[http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polikarp_(Sikorski) Polikarp (Sikorski)](Polish-language Wikipedia)