OCU Metropolitan Highlights Severe Clergy Shortage
The OCU faces ongoing clergy shortages as parishes outnumber available priests.
KHMELNYTSKYI, UKRAINE — The head of the Khmelnytskyi eparchy of the state-backed Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Metr. Simeon (Shostatsky), has again acknowledged an ongoing shortage of clergy, particularly as parish “transfers” from the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) continue.
Speaking on the regional television channel TV7plus, Metr. Simeon said that when UOC churches are forcefully transferred to the OCU, priests frequently do not follow, leaving churches without ordained clergy. He described this as a persistent challenge in the OCU’s growth, noting that similar shortages existed even during his earlier years of ministry, though he said the situation has become more acute in the OCU.
He also pointed to additional staffing problems beyond clergy, including a lack of church musicians, regents, and choir directors. According to him, these roles are essential for proper liturgical life, as they involve knowledge of the Typikon, readings, and sacred chant. He stressed that these gaps continue to complicate parish life even as new communities are forcefully transferred to the OCU.
Previously, the UOJ reported that a former OCU cleric asked why their churches stood empty.
