Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Province, Ukraine, December 8, 2025
Photo: svlavra.church.ua
His Eminence Metropolitan Arseny of Svyatogorsk, a persecuted hierarch of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, spent approximately eleven hours at the Chechelivsky District Court in Dnipro on December 5, where a hearing was held regarding the extension of preventive measures in the second criminal case against him, reports the Information and Education Department of the UOC.
The hearing took place on the day of the 20th anniversary of the Metropolitan’s episcopal consecration. Despite his request not to schedule the hearing on this date so that he could celebrate the festive Liturgy at the detention center chapel, the court denied his appeal.
The session began at 10:00 AM and was interrupted until 12:40 PM to arrange video connections for members of Parliament who had expressed willingness to take the Metropolitan under their personal guarantee.
During the recess, the hierarch served a moleben of thanksgiving in the courtroom, while monks from the Lavra and nuns from the affiliated sketes congratulated him on his anniversary.
Addressing the faithful who came to support him, Met. Arseny emphasized the importance of giving thanks to God in prayer [full address below].
When the session resumed at 12:40 PM, none of the members of Parliament were connected to the videoconference, with no explanation provided.
The Metropolitan’s attorneys were also unable to participate in the hearing. Most of them are based in Kiev and participate in hearings online, but they too were not connected.
An attorney from the free legal aid system was then appointed for Met. Arseny, who was given only about an hour and a half to familiarize himself with the case materials. This became the basis for his motion to recuse the judge, which was rejected.
Later, one of the Metropolitan’s defense attorneys was connected to the videoconference. Given the statements about flagrant violations, the court hearing was postponed until 10:00 AM on December 6.
Met. Arseny was escorted back to the detention center after 8:15 PM. Thus, on December 5, the persecuted hierarch spent approximately 11 hours in court.
It was noted that throughout the hearing, the court did not respond to air raid sirens, ignoring threats to the lives of hearing participants.
And at the session on December 6, the court extended Met. Arseny’s detention for another 60 days. His Eminence has been held for well over a year and a half on fabricated charges, which has taken a serious toll on his health.
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Address of Met. Arseny on the occasion of his 20th anniversary as a hierarch of the Orthodox Church:
St. John Chrysostom said that we often ask God for something, but the highest prayer is the prayer of thanksgiving. We often forget to thank God for everything that happens in our lives.
The Holy Fathers have this expression... I first heard it from Abbess Sergia of Diveyevo, whose spiritual father taught it to her: “Thanksgiving to God is hands extended for new blessings.” When a person gives thanks, the Lord showers him with new blessings.
And in our interactions with people, unfortunately, we also rarely thank anyone for anything, but usually we turn to them for some kind of help, we want something from another person, we ask them for something.
But God is a Being Who loves us, Who has showered us with all virtues and blessings. Even the fact that we’re breathing right now—after all, the Lord created air for our sake, and therefore each breath of air we take is God's mercy.
Today’s a special day for me, the anniversary of my episcopal consecration.
But the episcopal consecration of one person is actually a victory and an event for the entire Church, about Which the Lord said: I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Mt. 16:18). The life of the Church is embodied in monastic tonsure, in ordination to the diaconate, to the priesthood, in consecration to the episcopate. All of this is the living life of the Church, which has continued since the time of the Apostles of Christ, passed down through succession.
Therefore, any consecration (diaconal, priestly, or episcopal) is an event in the life of the Church. Not simply a historical event, but an event of great spiritual victory and the truth of Christ's words, Who said: I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Mt. 28:20).
Lord, help everyone. May the Lord keep everyone, may the Queen of Heaven protect all with Her veil!
These are such consoling days. I have always perceived the feast of the Entry of the Mother of God as a children’s feast; it’s joyful in a childlike way.
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