Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchy)

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For other uses, see the Ukrainian Orthodox Church disambiguation.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (#redirect ; Russian: ) is an autonomous church of Eastern Orthodoxy in Ukraine, under Moscow Patriarchy. The church is one of the two major rival Ukrainian Orthodox churches (the other being the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchy) and is often referred, incorrectely, as Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchy (UOC-MP).

Formerly known as Ukrainian exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church since October 27, 1990 the UOC operates as an autonomous church (one step short of full autocephaly) and considers itself to be a Ukrainian exarch of the Moscow Patriarchy as well as the descendant of the Orthodox Church of Kiev and all Rus' in Ukraine, thus claiming a direct lineage to the original Baptism of Rus' by St. Vladimir (Volodymyr) in 988.

The Metropolitan Volodymyr (Viktor Sabodan) is enthroned since 1992 as the head of the UOC under the title Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine.

The UOC is currently the only Ukrainian church to have canonical standing (legal recognition) in Eastern Orthodoxy world-wide, and operates in communion with the other Eastern Orthodox Churches. It also owns the majority of Orthodox church buildings in Ukraine and is predominant in eastern and southern Ukraine.

The official residency of Metropolitan Volodymyr is in Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves) in Kiev.

According to the recent [population survey], UOC has the allegiance of about 12% of the Ukrainian adult population, being the second largest denomination in Ukraine after the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchy, which carries 22%. Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church is the third largest Orthodox church in Ukraine with around half a million followers. Despite this poll, UOC claims ([link]) to be the largest religious body in Ukraine with 35 million followers. UOC officially views other Orthodox churches of Ukraine to be "schismatic nationalist organizations" whose claim to represent Orthodoxy is canonically invalid.

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Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchy)

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