Filaret Denysenko

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Filaret Denysenko, born Mykhailo Antonovych Denysenko on January 23, 1929, is a Ukrainian church leader who played a central role in Ukraine’s move toward an independent national church. He led the Kyiv Patriarchate and was a key figure in the creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).

- Early life and education: Filaret came from a worker family in Blahodatne, Donetsk Oblast. He studied theology at the Odesa Theological Seminary (under the Moscow Patriarchate) and the Moscow Theological Academy, became a monk in 1950 (taking the name Filaret), and was ordained as a priest in 1951. He later taught at the Moscow Theological Academy.

- Rise in the Russian Orthodox Church: In the 1960s he held high positions, including bishop of Leningrad and Vienna, and then rector of the Moscow Theological Academy. By 1968 he was Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia and a prominent member of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) leadership.

- Move toward Ukrainian church independence: After Ukraine’s independence, Filaret became a leading figure in Ukrainian church life. In 1992, supporters who wanted an independent Ukrainian church formed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) with Filaret as its primate.

- Defrocking and anathematization: The ROC defrocked Filaret in 1992 and he was anathemized in 1997. The Ukrainian church he led was not recognized by other Eastern Orthodox churches for many years.

- Path toward autocephaly and the OCU: In 2018 the Ecumenical Patriarchate (Constantinople) restored Filaret to communion with the church, and the Kyiv Patriarchate joined with other Ukrainian church groups to form the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) in 2018–2019. Filaret was given the title of “Honorary Patriarch” within the new church, while Epiphanius I became the head of the OCU.

- Later status and views: Filaret has remained a controversial and influential figure. He has been involved in ongoing disputes over church governance, jurisdiction, and the role of the patriarch within Ukraine’s church, as well as public stances on political issues affecting Ukraine.

- Notable public statements and controversies: Across the years, Filaret has spoken on topics ranging from Ukraine’s national church identity to positions about relations with Moscow and the wider Orthodox world. He has also drawn attention for remarks about social issues and, at times, the COVID-19 pandemic.

- Honors: In 2019 the Ukrainian president awarded Filaret the title Hero of Ukraine, reflecting his prominent role in Ukraine’s religious and national development.

Filaret remains a significant figure in Ukraine’s religious landscape, known for his long and sometimes contentious journey from a senior priest in the Moscow-centered Orthodox tradition to a central player in Ukraine’s move toward an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church.