The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has urged its followers to pray for the health of Patriarch Filaret following a reported decline in his condition. On March 9, 2026, the Kyiv Metropolitanate announced that the 97-year-old religious leader was hospitalized in Kyiv due to worsening chronic health issues.
Patriarch Filaret, born Mykhailo Denysenko on January 23, 1929, has been a prominent figure in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church since he took leadership of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate) in October 1995. In December 2018, he was honored as the Honorary Patriarch by the Orthodox Church of Ukraine after it received the tomos from the Ecumenical Patriarch.
In June 2022, shortly after the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Filaret called for a unifying council among the three branches of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, which included the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and the Kyiv Patriarchate.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has announced the hospitalization of Patriarch Filaret due to health complications, urging prayers from the faithful. The 97-year-old leader has played a significant role in the church's history and calls for unity among different Orthodox branches in Ukraine.