Story perspectives

Ukrainian Orthodox Leader Filaret Dies at 97, Marking Church's Independence

3/21/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Patriarch Emeritus Filaret of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine died at age 97, announced by Metropolitan Epiphanius on March 20, 2026.
Filaret, born Mykhailo Denysenko in 1929, helped establish independent Ukrainian Church after breaking from the Russian Orthodox Church in 1992.
He served as patriarch from 1995 to 2018 and was named Honorary Patriarch.
His leadership faced a power struggle with Epiphanius, and his death marks Ukraine's distance from Russia.

History

Historical Context

In 1992, following Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church declared autocephaly, leading to the formation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) under Patriarch Filaret. His leadership, marked by a struggle against Russian influence, continued until 2018 when the UOC-KP merged into the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, further solidifying Ukraine's religious autonomy. Filaret's death in 2026 underscores ongoing tensions in the region.

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Story summary

Patriarch Emeritus Filaret of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine died at age 97, announced by Metropolitan Epiphanius on March 20, 2026.
Filaret, born Mykhailo Denysenko in 1929, helped establish independent Ukrainian Church after breaking from the Russian Orthodox Church in 1992.
He served as patriarch from 1995 to 2018 and was named Honorary Patriarch.
His leadership faced a power struggle with Epiphanius, and his death marks Ukraine's distance from Russia.

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