On 26 January 2012, the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church held its session in the Lavra of the Caves in Kiev under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail. His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine could not chair the session because of his illness.
Members of the Synod expressed gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia for visiting the Lugansk diocese last September and the Chernovtsy diocese last October and for the spiritual support thus rendered to Orthodox Christians of Ukraine.
The Holy Synod gave its blessing to mark the 20th anniversary of the Kharkov Bishops’ Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the 20th anniversary of His Beatitude Vladimir’s ministry as Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine. An ad hoc commission has been set up.
The Synod approved composition of the commission for amendments to the Statute of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The commission was set up by the decision of the UOC Council on July 8th, 2011.
Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl, abbot of the Lavra of the Caves, was charged with temporary administration of the Kiev diocese.
Concern was expressed over a draft legislation “On Pilgrimage’ that is under consideration by the Verhovna Rada without agreeing with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and other religious association in Ukraine. It was resolved to send an appeal to the chairman, Vladimir Litvin, and to people’s deputies, and to set up an ad hoc commission to consider the matter in essence.
The Holy Synod has taken decisions on the Orders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and on the life of monasteries and convents.