The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of Ukraine) has accepted the religious community of the parish of Holy Women Myrrhbearers in the village of Pochapintsy, Ternopil Oblast, as a stavropegia under the direct canonical subordination of the Primate of the UOC/OCU, Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and all Ukraine. The decision was made based on the request of the parish assembly and with the consent of Archbishop Tikhon Petranuk of Ternopil and Buchach. This is the first and only religious community in Ternopil Oblast to receive such a special status – stavropegia, which is usually bestowed on certain Orthodox monasteries, lavras, brotherhoods and cathedrals. The status of stavropegia for the parish of Holy Women Myrrhbearers means that it will be directly subordinate to the Primate of the Church.

Religious community in Ternopil Oblast becomes the first stavropegia in Ternopil region

The religious community of the parish of Holy Women Myrrhbearers in the village of Pochapintsy, Ternopil district, Ternopil region, is now a stavropegia and is directly subordinate to the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church/Orthodox Church of Ukraine, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

In accordance with the Order, our community will be registered as a stavropegia. This is the first and only religious community in Ternopil region that has received such a special status – stavropegia. Usually, this status is assigned to some Orthodox monasteries, lavras, brotherhoods, and cathedrals that are directly subordinate to the Church Primate.

The literal translation of the word “stavropegia” from Greek means “placing the cross.” The classic example of stavropegia is the 20 functioning monasteries of Mount Athos, which are subordinated to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. From 1592 to 1688, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was also a stavropegia.

The status of stavropegia for the parish of Holy Women Myrrhbearers means that the religious community is not part of the structure of the city deanery of Ternopil, but is under the direct care of the Church Primate – Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

Офіційне повідомлення релігійної громади парафії святих Жон-Мироносиць УАПЦ ТЄ
Тернопильська Эпархия

Order
No. 49
of March 8, 2023 AD

Taking into account the request of the parish assembly and the consent of Archbishop Tikhon of Ternopil and Buchach, for the sake of peace within the Church, as an exception, the religious community of the parish of Holy Women Myrrhbearers in the village of Pochapintsy, Ternopil district, Ternopil region is accepted as stavropegial, under the direct canonical jurisdiction of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of Ukraine).

EPIPHANIUS METROPOLITAN OF KYIV AND ALL UKRAINE
PRIMATE OF THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

Press Service of the Religious Community of the Parish of the Naked Women-Mirrorbearers of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church of the Ternopil Diocese.