Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Province, Ukraine, April 28, 2025
Photo: uoc-news.church
Bright Thursday, April 24, marked one year that His Eminence Metropolitan Arseny of Svyatogorsk of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been held in detention on fabricated charges.
The hierarch was initially detained last April, just before Holy Week. He is being held on absurd charges, accused of supposedly revealing Ukrainian army positions to Russian troops via a homily from September 2023 in which he mentioned a roadblock checkpoint that was preventing pilgrims from reaching the monastery. Video of the homily was only published days later, after the roadblock had already been removed. His initial detention was set for 60 days without the possibility of bail, but the court has continually extended it. He has already spent two Paschas in detention. He is currently scheduled to be held until late May.
His Eminence faces up to eight years in prison.
As the Information-Education Department of the UOC notes, there have been many addresses and letters of support for Met. Arseny and the Holy Dormition-Svyatogorsk Lavra, where he has served as abbot for more than 30 years (though he was forced to miss his 30th anniversary celebration). 11 Ukrainian Parliament members from various factions have repeatedly provided statements regarding their willingness to take the Metropolitan on surety, but the courts have repeated ignored these statements.
Hierarchs from around the world, including His Eminence Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro (Serbian Orthodox Church), His Eminence Metropolitan Timotheos of Bostra (Patriarchate of Jerusalem), and other hierarchs from Local Orthodox Churches, have expressed their support for His Eminence.
The Lavra has also received letters of support from believers in Australia, Germany, Greece, Serbia, the U.S., and other countries.
The Svyatogorsk brotherhood has characterized the measure of restraint against their abbot as “inhumane treatment,” especially considering his “feeble health.” “Metropolitan Arseny suffers from severe illnesses and therefore needs constant medical observation and treatment, which can’t be ensured in the conditions of a pre-trial detention center,” notes the monastery.
Met. Arseny endured severe conditions when transported to court hearings in Slovyansk until autumn 2024. He was confined in a tiny 50x70x70 cm police van cell for up to 15-hour journeys without food or water, sometimes with minimal rest between consecutive hearing days. When the route became dangerous due to military operations in September 2024, his lawyers finally secured permission for video conference hearings, allowing him to participate from the detention center without these grueling transfers.
Since Met. Arseny’s detention, continuous prayers are being offered for him at the Lavra. The brotherhood maintains a 24-hour prayer vigil, reading akathists to the Mother of God before her wonderworking icon. Additionally, nuns from affiliated sketes read akathists to St. Nicholas and Archangel Michael, while others recite the Psalter. Special services are held in the Lavra’s cathedral on court hearing days, and prayers for Met. Arseny extend to Orthodox parishes throughout Ukraine and internationally.
Concerning the charges against him, the Metropolitan has said:
I don’t know what kind of person concocted this. May God forgive them. I don’t say “God be their judge”—may God forgive them for this. My spiritual father taught me: “Live according to your conscience.” The Lord commands in the Gospel: Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven (Matt. 7:2; Lk. 6:37). I’ve done this all my life, preparing my soul for the Last Judgment. And I do so now. For what I say at this trial, I will also say at the Last Judgment. ... I entrust myself to God’s mercy—as the Lord will direct my further stay on this earth until the moment He calls my sinful immortal soul. May the Lord keep everyone. God’s help to all who came to support me. My deepest bow to everyone.
To support the Lavra in its legal defense of Met. Arseny, you can make a donation with the following details:
Privat 4149439029037565
monobank 4441111032960886
PayPal: lazlavr@gmail.com
CRYPTO USDT (TRC20) TDiLRouF8j5CNzfZf7hQuy2G1LAfayL61y
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