New Patriarch of the UOC-KP after Filaret's death - what is Archbishop Nikodym known for

After the death of Patriarch Filaret, a part of the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate held an extraordinary council and announced the election of a new primate. This was reported by Archbishop Nikodym of Sumy, according to UNN.

Details

Archbishop Nikodym of Sumy and Okhtyrka (Volodymyr Kobzar) was elected as the new primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate.

The act on the election of the Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus'-Ukraine as the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, which was proclaimed at an extraordinary meeting of the hierarchal council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate

The document on the election of the new primate was read by Archbishop Danyil of Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih. Eight hierarchs participated in the vote for the new patriarch of the UOC-KP, one of whom refused to participate, and two voted online.

Those present who participated in the vote: Metropolitan Ioasaf of Belgorod and Oboyan, Exarch of All Russia; Metropolitan Filaret of Faleshty, Exarch of Moldova; Archbishop Andriy of Bila Tserkva; Archbishop Nikodym of Sumy; Archbishop Danyil of Dnipro; Bishop Nikon of Odesa; Bishop Mykhailo of Kherson; Bishop Petro of Valuyky. By secret ballot, Archbishop Nikodym (Kobzar) of Sumy and Okhtyrka was unanimously elected Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus'-Ukraine. Archbishop Andriy of Bila Tserkva refused to participate in the vote, citing, from his point of view, violations of the regulations and statutes of the UOC-KP

What is known about Archbishop Nikodym of Sumy and Okhtyrka

Archbishop Nikodym of Sumy and Okhtyrka (Volodymyr Kobzar) is one of the representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate. He was born in March 1971 in the city of Sumy.

During the Soviet period, Volodymyr Kobzar studied at the aviation military school in Sumy and is a reserve officer.

Since 1993, he has served in the Sumy Eparchy of the UOC-KP. In 1998, he took monastic vows with the name Nikodym, in honor of the holy righteous Nikodym.

In 2000-2004, Nikodym was the secretary of the Sumy Eparchial Administration and the rector of the Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Sumy.

Since 2004, he has headed the church in the village of Hrunivka, Krasnopillia district, Sumy region.

In 2019, he was appointed Bishop of Sumy and Okhtyrka. In the same year, he was also entrusted with the temporary administration of the Poltava Eparchy.

Recall

Patriarch Filaret, who headed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, died on March 20 at the age of 98.