Metropolitan Onufry elected head of Ukrainian Orthodox Church
KYIV. Aug 13 (Interfax) - The Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) has elected Metropolitan Onufry of Chernivtsi and Bukovina the new primate, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Zhanna Shevchenko told journalists.
"Onufry was elected primate," she said.
An Interfax correspondent reports that church bells are ringing in the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, heralding the election of the new primate.
The enthronement of the new head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is expected on August 17.
The previous head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) died on July 5, having being the primate of the church since 1992.
Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovsky) was elected Locum Tenens of the Metropolitanate of Kyiv on February 24, 2014.
Metropolitan Onufry was born on November 5, 1944 in Chernivtsi region into the family of a clergyman. He took monastic vows in 1971 and in 1988 graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a degree in theology.
In 1988 he was appointed Father-Superior of the Dormition Pochayiv Lavra where he served until November 1990. On December 9, 1990, he was consecrated Bishop of Chernivtsi and Bukovina. In 1994 he was raised to rank of archbishop and in 2000 - to the rank of metropolitan.