Head of Ukrainian Institute Meets Montenegrin Schismatic Leader

KYIV — Oleksandr Alfyorov, head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, has reported meeting Bojan Bojović, who heads the unrecognized body calling itself the “Montenegrin Orthodox Church,” during the latter’s visit to Ukraine.

According to Alfyorov, Bojović drove to Ukraine over three days to deliver humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian Defense Forces and support several Ukrainian initiatives. Alfyorov described Bojović as a longtime friend and said the two had known each other since 2010, when they enrolled in an online course at the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy.

In his post, Alfyorov said the group led by Bojović had made “significant progress in institutionalization and consolidation” in recent years. He also referred to Bojović as “Metropolitan Boris,” the name used by the leader of the non-canonical organization.

The meeting drew criticism from Abp. Jonah of Obukhiv, who commented, “A fake ‘metropolitan’ of a fake ‘church.’ That says something about the level of education among officials.”

The body calling itself the “Montenegrin Orthodox Church” emerged in the 1990s and is not recognized by any of the Local Orthodox Churches. The canonical Orthodox jurisdiction in Montenegro belongs to the Serbian Orthodox Church, through the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, headed by Metr. Joanikije.

Previously, the UOJ reported that the Church weighed in on Montenegro’s Sunday work debate.