Kiev, July 27, 2023
Photo: kremen-eparh.org
The clergy and faithful of three dioceses of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church have appealed to the state authorities on behalf of His Eminence Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod, the abbot of the Kiev Caves Lavra, who is being persecuted by the state and unjustly held in a pre-trial detention center.
Among the three is the Rivne Diocese, whose appeal was published by OrthoChristian earlier this month.
And on Tuesday, His Eminence Metropolitan Evlogy of Sumy sent a petition to President Vladimir Zelensky to change the measure of restraint against Met. Pavel, who has been in detention since July 14. He was previously confined to round-the-clock house arrest for several months.
The same day, the Kremenchug Diocese published an appeal to the President, Verkhovna Rada, and Cabinet of Ministers, calling for an end to the persecution of Met. Pavel, reports the Information-Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
In his address, Met. Evlogy of Sumy asks Pres. Zelensky to consider Met. Pavel’s age and poor health and move him to a situation where he can get proper medical care. Met. Pavel is currently sentenced to remain in detention at least until late September, which poses a serious risk for him, the Metropolitan writes.
And in their own appeal, the clergy and faithful of the Kremenchug Diocese noted that Met. Pavel has been the abbot of the Lavra for 30 years, during which time the monastic life and architectural ensemble of the Lavra were restored.
“The Kiev Caves Lavra regained its former glory, thousands of pilgrims visited it not only from Ukraine, but also from all over the world, finding solace there and offering prayers to the saints of the Caves.”
The concerning the present persecution of the monastery, the appeal states:
We, the clergy and faithful of the Kremenchug Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church appeal to the president of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and all legal structures with a request to help stop the persecution of Vladyka Pavel and the brethren of the Kiev Caves Lavra, take note of their long-term efforts to restore the holy site, and be objective and comply with the constitution of Ukraine.
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