OCU allows all its clerics to serve with Holy Doors open
In the Dumenko-led OCU, the opening of the Holy Doors during the service is not believed to be a reward.
On November 22, 2021, the "Holy Synod" of the OCU allowed all clerics of the newly created religious structure to serve the "liturgy" with the Holy Doors open, reports the OCU website.
Epiphany Dumenko signed the "Regulations on rewards" approved by the "synod" of the OCU, according to which "the service of the Divine Liturgy with the open Holy Doors before the prayer "Our Father" is not a reward."
Such a service (with the Holy Doors open until the prayer "Our Father" – Ed.) in the OCU was allowed to all "clergy" and all parishes.
According to Slavic tradition, the Holy Doors are opened during the Liturgy for the Small Entrance with the Gospel, which marks the Lord's appearance to preach the Gospel, and upon reading the Gospel, they are closed.
Then they open for the Great Entrance, where the Holy Gifts are transferred from the altar to the throne, then they are closed, which means the Savior's descent into hell.
And once again they open during the presentation of the Holy Gifts for the communion of the people, which depicts the appearance of the Lord to His disciples after the resurrection, ascension to heaven and the opening of the Kingdom of Heaven.
As reported earlier, the OCU cancelled the prayer at the Eucharistic Canon and the Litany of the Catechumens, and later, during the service with the head of the Phanar, the “priests” of the OCU were forbidden to wear mitres.
