Filaret Denysenko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Holiness and Beatitude Filaret |
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| Archbishop and Metropolitan of Kyiv – Mother of the Rus Cities and of Galicia, Patriarch of All Rus-Ukraine, Holy Archimandrite of the Holy Assumption Kyiv-Pechersk and Pochaev Lavras | |
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| Church | Kyiv Patriarchate |
| See | Patriarch of Kyiv and all Ukraine |
| Enthroned | July 1995 |
| Reign ended | 15 December 2018 |
| Predecessor | Ioasaph II (Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)) Volodymyr (Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate) |
| Successor | Metropolitan Epiphany I (Orthodox Church of Ukraine) himself as "Honorary Patriarch" |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 18 June 1951 |
| Consecration | 4 February 1962 by Pimen I of Moscow |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Mykhailo Antonovych Denysenko |
| Born | 23 January 1929 Blahodatne, Amvrosiivka Raion, Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR |
| Signature | _Signature_2014.png) |
Patriarch Filaret (born Mykhailo Antonovych Denysenko on January 23, 1929) is a well-known Ukrainian religious leader. He currently serves as the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate.
Before this, he was the Metropolitan of Kyiv and the Exarch of Ukraine within the Moscow Patriarchate from 1966 to 1992. After he joined the Kyiv Patriarchate, the Russian Orthodox Church removed him from his church roles and later excommunicated him.
In October 2018, the Patriarchate of Constantinople (a very important church leader) brought him back into church fellowship. However, they saw him as a former Metropolitan of Kyiv, not as a Patriarch. In December 2018, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate joined with other churches to form the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Filaret then became known as the "Honorary Patriarch" of this new church.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mykhailo Denysenko was born on January 23, 1929. He grew up in a working-class family in a village called Blahodatne, in what is now the Donetsk region of Eastern Ukraine. His parents were Anton and Melania Denysenko.
He studied to become a priest at the Odesa Seminary and later at the Moscow Theological Academy. There, he worked closely with Patriarch Alexius I. In 1950, he took his monastic vows and chose the name Filaret. He became a deacon in January 1950 and a priest in June 1951. After finishing his studies, he taught at the Moscow Theological Academy. He later became an inspector at seminaries in Saratov and Kyiv, rising to the rank of Archimandrite and rector.
Serving the Russian Orthodox Church
In 1961, Filaret worked for the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in Egypt. In 1962, he became a bishop in Leningrad. He also served the ROC in diplomatic roles, including as Bishop of Vienna and Austria from 1962 to 1964. He returned to Moscow in 1964 to lead the Moscow Theological Academy.
In 1966, he became the Archbishop of Kyiv and Halych. This made him a very important leader in the Russian Orthodox Church. He also became a permanent member of the Holy Synod, which is the highest group in the ROC that helps choose the Moscow Patriarch. In 1968, Filaret became the Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia.
When Patriarch Pimen of Moscow died in 1990, Filaret temporarily led the Russian Orthodox Church. However, he was not chosen to be the next Patriarch of Moscow. He later said that God had prepared him for Ukraine instead.
In October 1990, the new Patriarch Alexei II gave Filaret a special document called a tomos. This document gave the Ukrainian church "independence in self-government." Filaret was then named "Metropolitan of Kyiv and All-Ukraine."
In 1992, a Russian Orthodox priest claimed that Filaret had contacts with the KGB, the Soviet Union's main security agency. Filaret later stated that, like all bishops during the time of communism, he had to have contacts with the KGB. He added that the KGB trained many church leaders, including himself.
Forming the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate
After Ukraine became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church held a meeting. They decided that the church should be independent. They also wanted Metropolitan Filaret to be their leader.
In January 1992, Filaret asked the Moscow Patriarch for the Ukrainian church to be fully independent. However, the Russian Orthodox Church asked him to resign. Filaret first agreed but then changed his mind when he returned to Kyiv. He said he had been pressured to resign and that it would not help the church.
Suspension and Excommunication
Because of this, the Russian Orthodox Church helped create a different church group in Ukraine in May 1992. This new group, called the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), chose their own leader.
Filaret was suspended from his duties by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in May 1992. But bishops loyal to Filaret and another Ukrainian church group decided to unite. In June 1992, they formed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) and elected Patriarch Mstyslav as its head.
The Russian Orthodox Church then removed Filaret from his church roles in July 1992. The UOC-KP was not recognized by other Orthodox churches at that time. In 1997, the Russian Orthodox Church went further and excommunicated Filaret. This means they officially removed him from the church. They also accused him of having a wife and children, but this was never proven.
Leading the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate
After Patriarch Mstyslav died in 1993, and then Patriarch Volodymyr in 1995, Filaret was elected as the head of the UOC-KP in July 1995.
On October 11, 2018, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople announced that Filaret had been brought back into church fellowship. This decision also meant that the Moscow Patriarchate no longer had power over the Kyiv church.
In October 2018, the UOC-KP changed the full title of its head to include "Archbishop and Metropolitan of Kyiv" and "Patriarch of All Rus-Ukraine." This new title caused some confusion for others. The Russian Orthodox Church called it a "farce" and continued to see Filaret as a "schismatic" (someone who causes a split in the church).
Role in the Orthodox Church of Ukraine
On December 15, 2018, the UOC-KP and another church group decided to dissolve themselves. This was so they could join with some members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) to form the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). Filaret was given the title of "honorary patriarch" of the OCU. This title was a way to respect his past leadership, even though the OCU's rules didn't clearly define it.
In January 2019, Filaret said that he was still a patriarch for Ukraine, even if other churches didn't recognize him as such. In February 2019, the OCU appointed Filaret as the bishop for the city of Kyiv, except for one monastery.
The head of the OCU, Epiphanius, explained that Filaret had done a lot to build the Kyiv Patriarchate. He said that Filaret remained an honorary patriarch and would continue to work for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Disagreements with Epiphanius
Later, some disagreements arose between Filaret and Epiphanius. They had different ideas about how the OCU should be run, how it should manage its churches outside Ukraine, and even its name and rules.
Filaret believed there was an agreement that he, as patriarch, would handle the church's internal life in Ukraine, while Epiphanius would represent the church to the outside world. He felt this agreement was not being followed.
Political Views
In March 2014, Filaret spoke out against Russia taking over Crimea.
In September 2014, during the conflict in Ukraine, Filaret held a service for those who died in the Euromaidan protests. He spoke strongly against a leader who he said was acting like a "new Cain," causing bloodshed and spreading lies. He said this leader was calling himself a "brother" to the Ukrainian people but was doing the opposite. He also said that the people in the Donbas region "must pay for their guilt" through suffering.
Awards
- Order "For intellectual courage" of the independent cultural magazine I (2018)
State awards
Ukraine
Member of the Order of Liberty (2009)- The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise 1st (2008), 2nd (2006), 3rd (2003), 4th (2001) and 5th (1999) Cl.
- The Cross of Ivan Mazepa (2011)
- Hero of Ukraine (2019)
USSR
- The Order of Friendship of Peoples (1980)
- The Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1988)
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