Epifaniy Meets with Head of EP's Lithuanian 'Exarchate'

KYIV — On August 23, Epifaniy Dumenko, leader of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), hosted representatives from the self-proclaimed "Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Lithuania" on August 23. 

The visitors, led by Hieromonk Justin Kiviloo, included Archpriest Vitalijus Mockus and a press representative. The delegation arrived amid Ukraine's Independence Day celebrations.

The group participated in an All-Night Vigil at St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral, where clergy affiliated with the Patriarchate of Constantinople conducted prayers. Subsequent discussions at Epifaniy's residence centered on inter-Orthodox relations and the religious landscapes in Lithuania and Ukraine. The meeting ended with exchanges of gifts and expressions of desire for peace, followed by a tour of the residence and dinner.

Notably, the talks veered into criticism of the Moscow Patriarchate, accusing it of an "anti-Christian stance" and of supporting Russia's actions in Ukraine, a narrative often amplified by those aligned with Constantinople.

Prior to 2024, Lithuania’s Orthodox community belonged to the Russian Orthodox Archdiocese of Vilnius. However, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Constantinople established a small “exarchate” in the country—composed of recently defrocked clerics—with support from the Lithuanian government.

The canonical Vilnius Archdiocese, led by Metropolitan Innocent, remains the longstanding guardian of Lithuania's Orthodox heritage. About 52 parishes belong to the Archdiocese and 10 to Constantinople's “exarchate.”

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