On the contrary, Metropolitan Epiphanius expressed his sincere condolences on the Pope’s death, noting that Pope Francis had dedicated his life to serving God, spreading the Christian faith and launching numerous humanitarian initiatives to help those in need.
Several Russian media outlets ran a story claiming that the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Metropolitan Epiphanius, had said that the death of Pope Francis was caused by the Pope’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“This insolence is particularly outrageous in light of the recent blessing Dumenko received from Francis,” propagandist resources commented on the news.
This is yet another fabricated quote from Russian propagandists. Through such fabrications, the propagandists distort the image of the OCU and its representatives, promoting the narrative of the alleged “non-canonicality” of the Church and the alleged low morals of its clergy.
In fact, Metropolitan Epiphanius made no such statements. On the contrary, the head of the OCU said on his Facebook page that he had received the news of Pope Francis’ death with deep sorrow and noted that during their meeting the Pope had expressed genuine concern for the fate of Ukrainians suffering from Russian aggression.
«His efforts and personal support for the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war and the return to Ukraine of children deported by the Russian authorities were of great importance to us. The late Pope, in accordance with his convictions, tried to help the Ukrainians find peace and always called for prayer for this. Yesterday, in his Easter message, the Pope again referred to Ukraine “devastated by war” and expressed his hope that a just and lasting peace will be established in our country, according to God’s will,» wrote Metropolitan Epiphanius.
Also, on April 21, 2025, a funeral liturgy for the recently deceased Pope Francis was held at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral, which was conducted by the Primate of the OCU, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius.
Previously, StopFake has exposed other Russian fakes aimed at discrediting the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, you can check the pieces like Fake: OCU’s Transition to ‘Catholic Calendar’ was Funded by USAID and Fake: Ukrainian Orthodox Churches Celebrate Halloween.
