19 Mar 2014 21:11

Acting head of Ukrainian church included in Moscow Holy Synod

MOSCOW. March 19 (Interfax) - The acting head of the Moscow-governed Ukrainian Orthodox Church, metropolitan Onufry of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna, has been included in the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, Russian church spokesman Vladimir Legoyda said.

Legoyda made the announcement talking to reporters after a meeting in Moscow on Wednesday at which the Synod extended its membership to Onufry. Onufry attended the meeting, which was chaired by the head of the Russian church, Patriarch Kirill.

Onufry was elected Locum Metropolitan of Kyiv last month because of the illness of Vladimir, metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

Vladimir remains the official head of the Moscow-run Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is a life-long position.