The Moscow Patriarchate has issued rules governing requests for membership by laity and priests from what it labels “Ukrainian schismatic structures,” grouping the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine under a single framework.

Under the rules, laity require clearance by the local bishop, priests from these bodies may enter only as lay members, monks may be admitted as laity and later reconsidered for monastic status, and baptisms performed outside the Moscow church are not automatically recognized.

The provisions are expected to stiffen resistance within the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine and may encourage the emergence of additional groups that accept only some of the conditions, further complicating church life in Russian-controlled areas.

In response to requests from its priests in Russian-occupied portions of Ukraine, the Moscow Patriarchate has adopted rules........

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