U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed condolences to the Ukrainian people following the death of Filaret, the honorary patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The statement was released by the U.S. State Department.
“We mourn the passing of His Holiness Patriarch Filaret and extend our heartfelt condolences to the people of Ukraine and all members of the Ukrainian Orthodox community,” Rubio stated.
Rubio emphasized that Filaret’s life was dedicated to service, which significantly shaped Ukraine’s spiritual identity during critical moments in its history.
“His legacy will live on in the strength of Ukraine’s religious and national life. May he rest in peace,” the U.S. Secretary added.
Filaret, aged 97, was hospitalized on March 9 due to complications from chronic illnesses and passed away on March 20. His farewell ceremony began the same day at the St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv, continuing until the evening of March 21. He is to be buried in a specially designated area at the capital’s Volodymyr Cathedral.
Understanding Filaret’s Role in Ukrainian Orthodoxy
In December 2018, a Unification Church Council led to the dissolution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, resulting in the establishment of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the election of Metropolitan Epiphanius as its head. Filaret initially signed the decree to dissolve the Kyiv Patriarchate but later retracted his signature.
In May 2019, Filaret declared that the Kyiv Patriarchate still existed and that he remained its patriarch. By July, the Ministry of Culture announced that the Kyiv Patriarchate had ceased to exist, having merged into the OCU.
In early December 2019, following the dissolution of the Kyiv Patriarchate, the OCU’s synod established a religious organization in the form of a mission for Filaret. The synod also granted him the right to reside permanently at his residence on Pushkinska Street in Kyiv and to conduct services at Volodymyr Cathedral.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine later suspended Filaret’s powers as a member of its Holy Synod. Although he remained part of the episcopate of the OCU, he lost the canonical rights and responsibilities associated with managing a diocese. Additionally, as a retired archbishop, he was canonically prohibited from performing any ordinations.
Filaret, born Mykhailo Antonovych Denysenko, served as the Patriarch of Kyiv and all Rus-Ukraine of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate from 1995 until its dissolution in 2018. He celebrated his 97th birthday on January 23.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has conveyed condolences over the passing of Patriarch Filaret, noting his significant impact on Ukraine's spiritual identity. Filaret, who died at 97, played a pivotal role in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's history and its evolution.