Abbot's lawyer: Suspicion to the Metropolitan is unfounded
Metropolitan Pavel (Lebed). Photo: lavra.ua
Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshhorod and Chornobyl, the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, who is under house arrest, gave his first testimony as a suspect on April 4, 2023, as Archpriest Nikita Chekman, the archpriest's lawyer, announced on his Telegram channel.
Father Nikita added that Vladyka is providing testimony and is cooperating with the investigation.
“Due to the fact that no electronic evidence was provided during the consideration of the petition for a preventive measure, the lawyers, taking into account the provision of the right to defense, filed a petition in accordance with Art. 221 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine (familiarization with the materials of criminal proceedings). The request has not been satisfied so far. The defense considers the bishop’s suspicion unfounded,” the human rights activist added.
Recall that on April 1, 2023, the SBU came to Metropolitan Pavel. The security forces conducted a search and took Vladyka to court, where he was accused of justifying Russian aggression, as well as criticizing the OCU and the Phanar. Vladyka is under house arrest without the right to visit the Lavra.
Read also
US Secretary of Defense to the Army: God extends His arms over you
Pete Hegseth stated that American military personnel are "no longer defenders" but warriors "trained to destroy the enemy."
MP demands answers from Rivne authorities over UOC charity event
Bobrovska expressed outrage that city officials allowed the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC to hold a charity festival that raised money for children with cancer.
In U.S., Archbishop of Albania leads Divine Liturgy on Triumph of Orthodoxy
The Primate of the Albanian Church served in Massachusetts and called for visible unity among Orthodox jurisdictions.
Phanar backs common Easter date with Catholics and Protestants
Theologians of the Patriarchate of Constantinople have proposed revising calendar practice and bringing the celebration of Easter closer to the Western tradition.
DESS congratulates Ukraine’s Jews on Purim
The State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience addressed Ukraine’s Jewish community on the occasion of Purim.
Patriarch Bartholomew becomes honorary professor of ecology in Greece
The Ionian University of Greece has awarded Patriarch Bartholomew the honorary title of professor in its Department of Environment.