Religion in Ukraine

Ukraine has deep religious roots.The major religion in Ukraine is Christianity that is represented as Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic confessions.

Islam and Judaism are presented in much lower level.

There is a strong confrontation between Christian confessions.
The dominative positions are taken by the Ukrainian Orthodox church of Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP). The first hierarch is metropolitan Kyivan and of all Ukraine Volodymyr (Sabodan).UOC MP possesses independent from Moscow Saint Synod that chooses and sets its episcopes, autonomous budget, separate status of juridical person, the right to be represented from Ukraine on the Orthodox events of common church meaning.
According to the last estimations 69% of Orthodox Ukrainians belong to UOC MP. The positions of UOC MP are very strong in Central and Eastern Ukraine, as well as in the Crimea. On the Western Ukraine where the national directions are extremely strong UOC MP always has been loosing its influence.

The second by the influence is considered to be the Ukrainian Orthodox church of Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC KP) with the patriarch as a head Filaret (Denisenko). The main influence of the church is in the Central Ukraine. As well UOC KP is connected to the Ukrainian Diaspora and has branches in USA and Canada.

Third is the Ukrainian Autocephaly Orthodox church (UAOC) The church was maintained in 20s of XX century. Its administrative center was set up in Canada during the Soviet times.

The Greek-Catholic church is a factual representative of the pope in Ukraine. The head is Archbishop Luybomyr Guzar that was elected on the voting Synode 24-25 January 2001 in Lviv. The Pope approved the choice of Synod and in several days Guzar became a cardinal. This church especially has the influence on the West of the country.

Ukraine also possesses Ukrainian Roman-Catholic church that is mostly focused on the Western part of Ukraine. The head is the Lviv Archbishop Marian Yavorskiy.

In the religious field the official powers of Ukraine, as well as in their other directions in their politics, keep the direction for the demonstration f the independence of Ukraine from Russia. Currently a new idea is developed very actively. It assumes the creation of common church that has to combine UOC MP, UOC KP and UAOC. The State committee in the problems of religion of Ukraine already develops the program of creation of Single church.