Ukraine detains another UOC bishop for military service

Rivne Province, Ukraine, September 4, 2025

Bp. Seraphim (left), Met. Onuphry (center), Met. Anthony of Boryspil (right). Photo: YouTube Bp. Seraphim (left), Met. Onuphry (center), Met. Anthony of Boryspil (right). Photo: YouTube

The Ukrainian military has detained His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Novvorontsovsk, a vicar of the Novokakhovka Diocese of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, along with Hieromonk Gabriel (Kinashchuk) on September 2.

According to the Union of Orthodox Journalists’ sources, both clergymen have already been taken to a military training ground in the Rivne Province.

Bp. Seraphim holds a PhD in theology and was elected Bishop of Novovorontsovsk by the UOC Synod on October 23 last year. His consecration took place on October 30 at the St. Panteleimon Monastery in Kiev.

The Ukrainian military has started forcibly recruiting bishops and clergy of the canonical UOC after a law was passed that does not exempt them from military service and allows them to be sent to the front lines in the ranks of ordinary soldiers. This law seems to be targeting the UOC, since there have not been reports of clergy from other confessions or the non-canonical OCU being recruited.

Bp. Seraphim is not the first hierarch to be detained. On July 16, enlistment officers detained His Eminence Metropolitan Bogolep of Alexandria and Svetlovodsk. He was issued a military summons and released, meaning he could be mobilized at any time.

Some clergy have been sent to the front, while others have been released from the training camps. As OrthoChristian reported earlier, one priest was beaten and injured at a recruitment center.

The Ternopil Diocese is currently asking for prayers for eight mobilized clerics, including Deacon Vasily Marko from the cathedral of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love, and Sophia in Ternopil, who was taken by the Ternopil military recruitment office and has not been released. The diocese also requests prayers for:

  • Archimandrite Pafnutiy
  • Archpriest Igor
  • Archpriest Igor
  • Archpriest George
  • Archpriest George
  • Archpriest George
  • Archpriest Ioann

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9/4/2025

See also
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Fr. Evgeny was stopped and taken away on December 21, on his way home from the hospital where his wife had just given birth to their second child. His young daughter was in the car with him.

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