Metropolitan of the OCU who placed frescoes of businessmen in the Lutsk cathedral received a reprimand.

The Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine fined the head of the Volyn diocese, Mykhailo, for the frescoes depicting businessmen that appeared on the walls of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Lutsk. This was reported by the OCU.

The Synod believes that these frescoes violate Orthodox iconographic traditions and were placed next to the icons of saints. The decision was made at the initiative and order of the metropolitan.

«The unilateral decision-making style of the head of the Volyn diocese, numerous examples of consciously separating oneself and one's diocese from the Local Church, in particular the use of worship items not characteristic of modern Ukrainian Orthodox tradition, ignoring the episcopal rule №34, including unauthorized cooperation with leaders of other churches, and deliberate violation of norms set out in the Tomos on autocephaly, are the reasons for negative consequences and temptation», the church message states.

Mykhailo was also dismissed from the position of head of the Synodal Commission for Monasteries and Monasticism and excluded from its membership due to his inability to organize the commission's work for over five years.

It should be reminded that frescoes with local businessmen, including construction businessmen and an oligarch, appeared on the walls of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Lutsk.

The mayor of Lutsk, Ihor Polishchuk, reported that the oligarch learned about the fresco and made a request for its removal. The OCU Synod created a working commission to investigate the incident.

The Metropolitan of Lviv and Sokal of the OCU, Dymytro Rudyuk, noted that there were mistakes in the decoration of the cathedral.