Patriarch Filaret Former Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church. Date of Birth: 23.01.1929 Country: Ukraine

Content:

1. Early Life and Education
2. Ecclesiastical Career
3. As Bishop
4. As Archbishop and Metropolitan
5. Candidate for Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
6. Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
7. Formation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate
8. Excommunication from the Russian Orthodox Church
9. Later Years
10. Personal Life
11. Controversies

Early Life and Education

Michael Antonovich Denisenko (later known as Filaret) was born on January 28, 1929, in the village of Blahodatne, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, to a miner's family. In 1946, he graduated from high school and entered the third grade of the Odessa Theological Seminary, which he completed in 1948.

In the same year, Denisenko enrolled in the Moscow Theological Academy. While studying as a second-year student, on January 1, 1950, he was tonsured a monk under the name Filaret and appointed Acting Supervisor of the Patriarchal Chambers in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. That same month, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and in 1952, a hieromonk.

Ecclesiastical Career

In 1952, Filaret graduated from the academy with a Candidate of Theology degree and was appointed a teacher of New Testament Holy Scripture at the Moscow Theological Seminary. Simultaneously, Filaret served as the Administrator of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In March 1954, he was awarded the title of Associate Professor.

In August 1956, Filaret was elevated to the rank of hegumen and assumed the position of Inspector of the Saratov Theological Seminary. The following year, he took up a similar role at the Kiev Theological Seminary. In July 1958, Filaret was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

In 1960, Archimandrite Filaret became the Manager of the Affairs of the Ukrainian Exarchate.

As Bishop

In May 1961, Filaret became the Rector of the Russian Orthodox Church's representation to the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Alexandria (United Arab Republic), a position he held until January 1962. In 1962, Filaret was elevated to the rank of Bishop of Luga, Vicar of the Leningrad Diocese (the consecration was performed on February 4, 1962). At the same time, he was appointed Administrator of the Riga Diocese. In the summer of that year, he was relieved of his duties as Vicar of the Leningrad Diocese and appointed Vicar of the Central European Exarchate with temporary administration of the Central European Exarchate. In November of the same year, he became Bishop of Vienna and Austria.

As Archbishop and Metropolitan

In December 1964, Filaret, now as Bishop of Dmitrov, became Vicar of the Moscow Diocese and Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary. On May 14, 1966, Filaret was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of Kiev and Galicia, Exarch of Ukraine, and appointed a member of the Sacred Synod. In this capacity, he began to take an active role in the international activities of the ROC and in December of that year headed the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate in Kiev. In this position, he actively traveled abroad as part of delegations from the Ukrainian Exarchate, the Moscow Patriarchate, and the Russian Orthodox Church, participating in various events such as conferences, assemblies, and congresses.

In 1979, Filaret was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR, and in 1988, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (awarded by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for active peacekeeping activities and in connection with the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus).

Candidate for Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

In May 1990, after the death of Patriarch Pimen of Moscow and All Russia, Filaret became the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne and one of the candidates for patriarch. An extraordinary Local Council was convened to elect a new patriarch, which on June 7, 1990, elected Metropolitan Alexy (Alexy II) as the new head of the ROC.

Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Despite not being elected Patriarch, Filaret became the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) with the title "His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine." In November 1990, the UOC's Local Council passed a resolution requesting autocephaly from the Moscow Patriarchate. However, the Russian Orthodox Church refused to grant autocephaly to the UOC.

Formation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate

Following Ukraine's independence in 1991, Filaret worked towards the creation of an independent church based on the canonical UOC. On June 25-26, 1992, the UOC Synod deposed Filaret from his position as the Primate of the UOC and excommunicated him.

In response, Filaret and his supporters established the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP), which united parts of the UOC (Moscow Patriarchate) and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC). In 1993, he became the deputy to the newly elected Patriarch of the UOC-KP, Vladimir (Romanyuk), and in 1995, he became the Patriarch after Vladimir's mysterious death.

Excommunication from the Russian Orthodox Church

On February 19, 1997, the Russian Orthodox Church excommunicated Filaret for continuing his schismatic activities after being called to repentance by the Church.

Later Years

In 2005, Filaret's supporters requested that President Viktor Yushchenko appeal to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople for recognition of the UOC-KP as an independent, local autocephalous church.

In 2008, Patriarch Bartholomew expressed support for creating a united Orthodox Church in Ukraine within the framework of canonicity.

Filaret was awarded numerous Orders of Prince Yaroslav the Wise for his significant contributions to the establishment of a Local Orthodox Church in Ukraine and his promotion of spirituality, mercy, and interfaith harmony in society.

Personal Life

Filaret was known for living with his family despite Church canons. His wife was named Evgenia Petrovna Rodionova, and he had three children: a son, Andrei, and two daughters, Vera and Lyubov.

Controversies

In 1991-1992, during the conflict between Filaret and the ROC leadership, media reported that he had close ties with the KGB, allegedly appearing as an agent under the pseudonym "Antonov." However, no documentary evidence to support these claims has ever been published.

Religious figure

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