Forced Visit of OCU 'Primate' to Holy Mountain Sparks Tensions

Epifaniy Dumenko. Photo: OCU

KARYES — On Oct. 10, 2025, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, (OCU), Epifaniy Dumenko, plans to arrive at Mount Athos; however, this trip is being arranged secretly and has provoked protests among Athonite monasteries, reports the Greek outlet Romfea.

According to the publication, Dumenko is expected to visit the monasteries of Pantokrator, Xenophontos, and Iveron. On Oct. 11, he is to conduct an all-night vigil at the Skete of Prophet Elijah, and on Oct. 12, he will celebrate the liturgy at the Xenophontos Monastery.

However, the Holy Community has made it clear that it will not receive Dumenko officially, seeking to avoid tension within the Athonite community. Reports indicate that many monasteries on the Holy Mountain, despite pressure from hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, have refused to receive the head of the OCU.

"After all, this is not the first time such a visit has been attempted; both in 2021 and May 2025 the relevant efforts did not bear fruit, as they met with strong opposition from Abbots of Holy Monasteries," Romfea reports.

Greek media note that the visit is being arranged under conditions of secrecy – the official program has still not been published. Only two monasteries – Pantokrator and Xenophontos – showed goodwill toward the OCU from the very beginning.

In 2021, Elder Gabriel, who serves as abbot of Pantokratos Monastery, said in a video message to Dumenko:

"Here on Mount Athos we love you very much and we always remember you and pray for you. We are waiting for you to come and see you up close, to co-officiate and rejoice with you."

Similarly, Elder Alexios, abbot of Xenophontos Monastery, said:

"It is a gift of God that Ukraine has also entered a normal order. We are glad that God has made us worthy at the installation of His Beatitude to be close and participate in the Divine Liturgy. May you be strong and may your blessing be given to us."

Last month, Greek sources shared that, according to the agenda of the Holy Community for Monday, Sept. 22, Pat. Bartholomew had sent a letter of recommendation concerning Dumenko’s visit to Athos, accompanied by Met. Apostolos of Melitene. This was also reported by UOJ.

“There were strong objections within the Holy Community to the planned visit, especially at a time when, in Ukraine, the clergy, monks, and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are being ruthlessly persecuted by the Zelensky regime – first and foremost the canonical Metropolitan Onuphry,” the Greek outlet romioitispolis.gr reported at the time.

Sources also claimed that, to avoid open protests, Dumenko’s visit was being prepared as an allegedly “unofficial” tour of “obedient” monasteries, followed by a “pilgrimage” – with the assistance of Met. Apostolos of Melitene – to two or three additional monasteries and to the Holy Epistasia, in order to take the necessary photos and declare that Athos “recognizes” the schismatic “Autocephalous Church of Ukraine.”

Greek observers emphasize that Dumenko’s possible presence on the Holy Mountain is not merely a visit, but a powerful symbolic gesture that threatens to exacerbate divisions within the Athonite monastic community.

Previously, UOJ reported that Abp. Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America had asked for Romania to recognize the OCU during a meeting with Romania's Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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