Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy)

Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) (1944-____)

Onufry may be spelt Onufrii, Onufrij, Onufriy, Onoufriy, Onoufry, Onuphrios, Onuphrius.

Volodymyr may be spelt Vladimir.

Yulia may be spelt Julia, Iulia.

Berezovskiy may be spelt Berezovsky.

Bucovina may be spelt Bukovina.

Early life of Orest Volodymyrovych Berezovskiy

On 5 November, 1944, Orest Volodymyrovych Berezovskiy was born in the Korytnoe Village, Vashkovsky County (now Vizhnitsky County), Chernivtsi Oblast (province) of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (now Ukraine) of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR, Soviet Union).

He was a son of the Priest Volodymyr Berezovskiy and Yulia Ivanovna Berezovskiy.

His brother Ivan (✝2014) became a priest ; his brother Victor was a driver ; his sister Lydia reposed at age 32 because of working with toxic paints in a souvenir factory.

All the members of the family were formed and nurtured in the Orthodox Christian Church.

Orest Volodymyrovych received his primary and secondary education in his home village.

In 1961, Orest Berezovskiy graduated from high school (gymnasium).

Higher education

From 1962 to 1964, Orest Volodymyrovych studied at the Chernivtsi Technical School, after which he worked in a construction company in Chernivtsi.

In 1966, Orest Volodymyrovych entered the general technical faculty of the Chernivtsi State University.

Chernivtsi State University

What was (in 1962) the Chernivtsi State University (and later the Chernivtsy National University) was formerly the residence of the Orthodox Christian Metropolitan of Chernivtsi, Bukovina and Dalmatia (which included a monastery, a seminary and the seminary Temple of Saint John of Suceava. At the takeover of northern Bucovina by the Soviet Union in 1940, the whole complex was converted into a secular university, and the bishop had to live elsewhere in the city.

In 1969, after his third year, Orest V Berezovskiy left the university, and he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, where he was taken into the second year class.

Moscow Theological Seminary and Academy

In 1970, Orest V Berezovskiy was admitted to the brotherhood of the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra, north of Moscow, Russia. In addition to his studies, he carried out various obediences : he sang at the kliros ; stood at the candle-kiosk ; he served as cell-attendant to the Igumen (abbot) of the monastery.

Monastic tonsure, 1971

On 18 March, 1971, Orest Volodymyrovych Berezovskiy was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Onufry (in honour of Saint Onuphrius the Great : name-day, 25 June).

In 1971, Monk Onufry (Berezovskiy) graduated from the Moscow Orthodox Theological Seminary.

Diaconal Ordination, 1971

On 20 June, 1971, Monk Onufry (Berezovskiy) was ordained to the Holy Diaconate.

Presbyteral ordination, 1972

On 29 May, 1972, Hierodeacon Onufry (Berezovskiy) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood.

Pastoral service

In 1972, Hieromonk Onufry (Berezovskiy) continued his obediences in the monastic brotherhood.

In the autumn of 1972, Hieromonk Onufry (Berezovskiy) entered the Moscow Theological Academy.

In 1980, Hieromonk Onufry (Berezovskiy) was elevated to the dignity of igumen.

On 28 August, 1984 Igumen Onufry (Berezovskiy) was assigned to be the rector of the Church of Saint Nicetas, the Athonite “Podvoriye” (representation church) in Lukino, Moscow.

On 28 June, 1985, Igumen Onufry (Berezovskiy) was assigned to serve as the Provost (chief administrator, "econom", "khozian") of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

On 15 December, 1986, Igumen Onufry (Berezovskiy) was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

In 1988, Archimandrite Onufry (Berezovskiy) graduated from the Moscow Orthodox Theological Academy (MDA) with the Candidate of Theology (Ph.D.) Degree. His Candidate Essay was “The Pastoral Ministry of the Monk Job, Hegumen of Pochaev”.

Transfer to Ukraine, 1988

After 18 years of absence, Archimandrite Onufry returned to Ukraine.

On 20 July, 1988, Archimandrite Onufry (Berezovskiy) was assigned to serve as the Vicar-Abbot ("namestnik") of the Holy Dormition Lavra in Pochaiv, Ukraine.

By 24 November, 1990, Resolution of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Archimandrite Onufry (Berezovskiy) was elected to become the Bishop of the Diocese of Chernivtsi and Bukovina.

Episcopal ordination, 1990

On 9 December, 1990, in the Saint Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv, Archimandrite Onufry (Berezovskiy) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate.

Episcopal service

Bishop Onufry (Berezovskiy) was assigned to serve as the Bishop of Chernivtsi and Bucovina.

Holy Spirit Cathedral, Chernivtsi

Vladyka Onufry had been ordained to the Holy Episcopate at a very difficult moment for the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

At the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on 30-31 January, 1990, a new “Provision on the Exarchate” had been adopted for Ukraine, in order to enhance the authority of the Holy Orthodox Church in Ukraine. This document gave the Ukrainian Exarchate more rights in self-government, and the clergy and believers were enabled independently to develop Church life in accordance with their ecclesiastical and national customs.

Concern expressed about autonomy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 1990

Then, on 10 July, 1990, the Synod of the Ukrainian Exarchate adopted the “Address of the Episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to His Holiness Patriarch Aleksey II of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church”, the main point of which was the request to grant the UOC independence and autonomy in management.

Providing the UOC status as autonomous and independent in management corresponded to the realities of social and religious life in Ukraine, and at the same time retained canonical unity with the Russian Orthodox Church, and through it, with the whole of Ecumenical Orthodoxy. In fact, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church received the status equivalent to that of the Kyivan Metropolitanate in the 17th century.

On 1-3 November, 1990, the Local Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) took place in the Kyiv Caves Lavra. It issued an

 Appeal to the Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Aleksey II and the Episcopate of the Russian 
 Orthodox Church (ROC) to give the UOC full canonical autonomy, that is, autocephaly, since proclamation of 
 autocephaly can only be made by the highest organ of the Local Church in the person of the Council of Bishops.

However, this particular appeal was not the result of a free expression of the will of the entire episcopate of the UOC and of the faithful people. The appeal had been forced by Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko).

On 22 January, 1992, with others, Bishop Onufry refused to sign an appeal of some bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church at a meeting with Patriarch Aleksey II (Ridiger) of Moscow. This appeal, which followed the August, 1991, declaration of independence by Ukraine, strongly requested the granting of autocephalous status to the Church in Ukraine.

On 23 January, 1992, Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko) transferred Bishop Onufry to the Diocese of Ivano-Frankivsk.

The matter of the gift of autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was considered at the Holy Synod of Bishops in Moscow, which met from 31 March to 5 April, 1992. At this Council, however, the Ukrainian Primate, Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko), was faced with various allegations against him. These included a denunciation by Priest Gleb Yakunin about his alleged KGB activities ; but besides this, there were other, very serious allegations levelled against him.

On the second day of the meeting, Metropolitan Filaret agreed to submit his resignation to the UOC Synod, and the ROC Synod passed a resolution which stated :

 The Council of Bishops took into account the statement of the Most Reverend Filaret, Metropolitan of Kyiv and 
 of All-Ukraine, that for the sake of church peace, at the next Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox 
 Church, he will submit a request to be relieved from the position of the Primate of the UOC. Understanding of 
 the position of Metropolitan Filaret, the Council of Bishops expressed to him its gratitude for the long 
 period of labour as Archbishop of the See of Kyiv and blessed him to serve as an archbishop at another cathedral 
 of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

However, Metropolitan Filaret did not do as he had promised. After returning to Kiev, he recanted his resignation.

On 14 April, 1992, Metropolitan Filaret held a press conference in which he alleged that undue pressure was exerted at the ROC Synod in Moscow, both directly and through threats made by Federal Security Service (FSB) personnel who, he said, were present at the gathering. Metropolitan Filaret stated that he was retracting his resignation on the grounds that his resignation “would not bring peace to the Church, would contradict the will of the believers, and would be uncanonical”. He then established the Ukrainian Orthodox Church — Kyiv Patriarchate. He was not, however, to be its first patriarch.

Schism of Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko) : Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, 1992

The rebellious action by Metropolitan Filaret produced a schism in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

On 7 April, 1992, Bishop Onufry was returned to the Diocese of Chernivtsi and Bukovina by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Exarchate.

Canonical restructuring after the schism

On 30 April, at a meeting in Zhytomyr, the bishops of the UOC, all expressed their distrust in Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko), as did clergy and monks from various parts of the UOC. Those bishops who participated in this meeting were Bishops Agafangel (Savvin) (who at that time was out of the country), Iov (Tyvonyuk), Vasyl (Vasyltsev), Onufry (Berezovskiy), Serhii (Hensetskyi) and Alipiy (Pogrebnyak). They asked the ROC hierarchy to impose canonical disciplines on Metropolitan Filaret. At the meeting in Zhytomyr, it was also proposed that Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) be elected as head of the Kyivan Metropolitanate.

Later, on 27 May, 1992, the Council of the Bishops of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church met in Kharkiv, due to the impossibility of meeting in Kyiv. Bishop Onufry (Berezovskiy) was a participant in this meeting. At this assembly, the bishops took an uncompromising position regarding Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko), whom they removed from the exercise of the Holy Episcopate in connexion with the disclosure of sins incompatible with serving as Primate of the UOC, and for activities which brought him to a condition of life forbidden to the priesthood.

New Head of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP), 1992

Election of Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan)

Then, after Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko) of Kyiv was defrocked, the Kharkiv Bishops’ Council of the UOC elected by a majority of votes (16 of 18), Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Rostov and Novocherkassk to become the Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, and Primate of the newly-established autonomous Church of Ukraine.

Later in 1992, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Samodan) was enthroned in the Monastery of the Kyiv Caves in Kyiv as the Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine.

Although the historical site for the residence and offices of the Metropolitan of Chernivtsi had long been in a substantial complex of buildings in the city, these had been turned into a university facility in 1940, as previously mentioned.

Later, the residence of the metropolitan and the offices of the metropolia were situated in a group of buildings next to the Sobor of Saint Nicholas. The 4 corner cupolas are in a particular style found in several other Temples in Romania.

Saint Nicholas Sobor, Chernivtsi

The metropolitanate (metropolia) offices are to the left of the Temple.

On 28 July, 1994, Bishop Onufry (Berezovskiy) was elevated to the dignity of archbishop.

On the same day, Archbishop Onufry (Berezovskiy) was assigned to serve as a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).

During a visit to his relatives in the USA in 1995, Archbishop Onufry became acquainted with the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCOR), Metropolitan Laurus (Skurla). After they met, they continued to meet and to have spiritual conversations both during the trips of Vladyka Onufry to the USA, and during the visits of Metropolitan Laurus to Ukraine. These encounters became part of the improved communication between the Moscow Patriarchate and the ROCOR which led up to the mutual reconciliation in 2007.

On 22 November, 2000, Archbishop Onufry (Berezovskiy) was elevated to the dignity of metropolitan.

Until 14 December, 2007, Metropolitan Onufry served as the Chairman of the Canonical Commission at the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

On 14 December, 2007, Metropolitan Onufry was assigned to serve instead as the Chairman of the Church Court of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

On 26 June, 2008, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church elected Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) to serve as the Vice-Chairman of the General Church Court of the Russian Orthodox Church for a term of 4 years.

Visit to Canada, 2008

In late November, 2008, Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) of Chernivtsi and Bucovina visited Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, in order to make several presentations of replicas of the 16th century "Peresopnitsa Gospels".

Apostle Matthew, Peresopnitsa Book of the Gospels

On 27-28 November, 2008, Metropolitan Onufry served at the Vigil and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the Annunciation Cathedral there. Metropolitan Onufry had previously visited North America many times, and there are clergy from the province of Chernivtsi and from the region near Pochaiv who have been serving in Canada. Many early Canadian immigrants came from these regions.

On 27 July, 2009, Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) was assigned to serve as a member of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church.

From 29 January, 2010, until 23 October, 2014, Metropolitan Onufry was a member of the Commission for the Organisation of Monasteries and Monastic Life.

At 2-5 February, 2013, session of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) was re-elected to serve as the Vice-Chairman of the General Church Court of the Russian Orthodox Church for another term of 4 years.

By a decision of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church which met 2-5 February, 2013, Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) was elected to serve as deputy chairman of the General Church Court of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On 23 November, 2013, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan), Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine awarded Metropolitan Onufry with the right to wear a second panagia.

Locum Tenens and Administrator of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 2014

On 24 February, 2014, following the retirement (for medical reasons) of Metropolitan Voldymyr (Sabodan), the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church convened a meeting chaired by Metropolitan Agafangel (Savvin) of Odessa and Izmail (based on paragraph 17 of Section IV of the Charter on the Administration of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as the oldest ordination member of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church).

The Holy Synod elected Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) by secret ballot to be the Locum Tenens of the Kyiv metropolitan diocese, and also its temporary administrator.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on 19 March, 2014 (Journal No. 1), there was included the definition of the protocol of the Synod on the seniority of the place occupied by the Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine (the first amongst the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church) in the Holy Synod, with the right of permanent membership, at the time of the assumption of the office of Locum Tenens of the Kyiv Metropolitan See.

On 19 March, 2014, Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) was assigned to serve as a Permanent Member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, 2014

At the meeting of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church at the Kyiv Caves Lavra on 13 August, 2014, Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) was elected by secret ballot to be the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

On 17 August, 2014, Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) was enthroned as the Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine during a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the Kyiv Caves Lavra.

Enthronement in Kyiv

By a decision of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on 16 September, 2014 (Journal No. 39), in connection with his election to become the Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Metropolitan Onufry was released from his responsibility as Chairman of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He was assigned (Journal No. 56) to be the chairman of the newly-formed Metropolitan Council for Cultural Affairs.

By a decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on 23 October, 2014 (Journal No. 92), Metropolitan Onufry was released from the responsibility of Deputy Chairman of the General Church Court of the Russian Orthodox Church. At the same time, he was assigned to serve as the Chairman of the Commission for Counteracting and Overcoming Church Schisms of the Inter-Council Presence.

Beginning on 3 July, 2016, many thousands of people gathered and they began to participate in a Holy Cross-procession for peace, which had been organised by the leadership of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The procession symbolically began from 2 opposite corners of the country. One group started walking toward Kyiv from the Svyatogorsk Lavra Monastery, in the east of the country on 3 July, and the other began on 9 July from the Pochaiv Lavra Monastery in the west. Other groups from other places joined these processions along the way.

The 2 groups arrived in Kyiv, where they formed a single Cross-procession on 27 July, for a celebration of the Primatial Divine Liturgy and Moleben for Peace on the Saint Vladimir Hill on the west bank of the Dniepr River. The organisers of the procession indicated that its aim was to bring reconciliation and an end to the civil war in eastern Ukraine. It was estimated that at least 10,000 believers participated in the pilgrimage, and a book about it with many photographs was later published.

Cross-procession in Kyiv

In the Wikipedia article about Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy), there is no attention given in writing to Metropolitan Onufry’s long years of outstanding and compassionate pastoral service. Rather, the following 2 comments registered in Wikipedia’s article demonstrate that pastoral works and fatherly care on the part of the metropolitan are not respected by those whose concerns seem to be only political :

 Metropolitan Onufry has referred to Ukraine's aspirations to join the European Union as a 'tragedy'.  
 
 Onufry refused to stand up when the Ukrainian parliament honoured the Ukrainian fighters of 
 the War in Donbass (against pro-Russian separatists).  In August, 2014, Onufry stated that 
 there were no priests in his Church who supported separatism.  His Church usually abstained 
 from commenting on the 2014-2015 Russian military intervention in Ukraine.

However,

 In February, 2016, he said that 'in the situation of continued military confrontation in eastern Ukraine, 
 we emphasize that we unfailingly stand on the side of peace and support all peace initiatives of the Ukrainian authorities'.

In the context of the political tensions between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) have been under considerable pressure by those who are more "nationalist". There have been various violent acts committed against the clergy, the faithful and the Temples of the Church by other forces, including some politicians.

The political and ecclesiastical histories of Ukraine are very complex. There are many historical events and situations of the past which influence decisions made by politicians and hierarchs in the present. It is prudent always to try to assess matters in the broad context.

Metropolitan Onufry serving in the Trapeznaya Temple of the Kyiv Caves ; conversing in the residence

— Bishop of Chernivtsi and Bucovina 1990-1992. Preceded by : ____. Succeeded by : ____.

— Bishop of Ivano-Frankivsk 1992. Preceded by : _____. Succeeded by : ____.

— Bishop of Chernivtsi and Bucovina 1992-1994. Preceded by : ____. Succeeded by : ____.

— Archbishop of Chernivtsi and Bucovina 1994-2000. Preceded by : ____. Succeeded by : Archbishop Miletiy (Ehorenko).

— Metropolitan of Chernivtsi and Bucovina 2000-2014.

— Locum Tenens of Kyiv and Ukraine 2014.

— Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine 2014- . Preceded by : Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan). Succeeded by : ____.

Metropolitans and people in a procession in Kyiv

Reflections

According to the testimony of Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, Vladyka Onuphriy receives clergy and laity almost every day and does not refuse anyone.

Metropolitan Onuphriy makes a pilgrimage to Mount Athos every year. In the Panteleimon Monastery, he often helps the brethren to clear the dishes from the tables and to sweep the floors.

Awards :

Ecclesiastical awards :

• Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, 2nd degree (25 February, 2005) “In consideration of the zealous episcopal service and in connection with the 60th anniversary of his birth”

• Order of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, 1st degree (23 October, 2014)

• Blessing to wear a second Panagia (23 November, 2013)

• Order of Saint Innocent of Moscow, 2nd degree

• Synodal Order of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God, 1st degree (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, 18 July, 2015)

• Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (UOC (MP), 25 June, 2019)

• Order of the Holy Tsar Constantine (Serbian Orthodox Church, 2019)

• Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, 1st degree (2019) “In consideration of his zealous archpastoral labours and in connection with the 75th anniversary of his birth”

• Order of Saint Seraphim of Sarov, 1st degree (2021)

Secular awards :

• Order of Friendship (Russia), 2013, "For a great contribution to the development of friendly relations between peoples and the strengthening of spiritual traditions"