97-year-old Patriarch Filaret hospitalized: what is known
9 March 17:38
The 97-year-old honorary patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Filaret, was hospitalized in one of the medical institutions in Kyiv.
This was reported by the press service of the Kyiv Metropolis of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Reason for hospitalization
According to the church, on March 9, the patriarch was taken to the hospital due to deteriorating health and exacerbation of chronic diseases.
The report does not specify which medical facility the spiritual leader is in or what his current condition is.
Appeal to believers
The press service called on clergy and believers across the country to pray for the patriarch’s health.
Filaret is one of the key figures in the modern history of Ukrainian Orthodoxy.
Who is Filaret
Filaret was born on January 23, 1929.
He headed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate as Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine from 1995 to 2018.
After the creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in December 2018, he was given the title of honorary patriarch.
Filaret also holds the title of Hero of Ukraine.
Creation of an independent church
On January 5, 2019, in Istanbul, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I signed a tomos of autocephaly for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
The document officially confirmed the independent status of the OCU as one of the 15 local Orthodox churches in the world.
Filaret played an important role in the process of establishing independent Ukrainian Orthodoxy.
