Kiev, December 26, 2023
Photo: Facebook Ukrainian authorities continue to harass His Eminence Metropolitan Longin of Bancheny, a hierarch of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, aggravating his poor health condition.
His Eminence, who is targeted by the state for his principled refusal to abandon the Orthodox Church, has suffered several severe health incidents since the state launched its campaign against him. He suffered a stroke back in July, and he was admitted to the hospital earlier this month with atrial fibrillation. He underwent heart surgery last week.
And yesterday afternoon, during another case of harassment by the authorities, the Metropolitan suffered another health setback. The monastery reports:
Today, during an inter-hospital transfer from the city of Kyiv, Metropolitan Longin’s car was unjustifiably detained and checked at one of the checkpoints. Following this incident, His Eminence’s condition worsened and he experienced a heart arrhythmia. The doctors are currently trying to rebalance his heart rhythm. We ask your holy prayers!!!
Though officially recognized as a Hero of Ukraine for having adopted hundreds of orphans, the state now considers him an enemy because he staunchly remains within the Orthodox Church. He is accused of “inciting religious enmity”—the same phony charge being brought against a number of Orthodox hierarchs.
Armed security forces surrounded and searched his monastery last month, scaring the orphans who live there.
Hundreds of Orthodox faithful in both Bucharest and Chișinău have rallied outside their respective Ukrainian embassies in support of Met. Longin, who is ethnically Romanian.
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