Metropolitan Jonathan: I am accused of being Ukraine's greatest villain

Metropolitan Jonathan. Photo: vinnitsa.info

Metropolitan Jonathan. Photo: vinnitsa.info

On June 16, 2023, Metropolitan Jonathan (Yeletskikh) of Tulchyn and Bratslav, during a regular meeting of the Vinnytsia City Court, said that he was accused of being "the biggest villain of Ukraine", reports vinnitsa.info.

"The sentence is passed in the name of Ukraine, and the name of Ukraine must be pure and holy," the UOC hierarch said.

In court, Metropolitan Jonathan is defended by three lawyers: Sergei Rybak, Eugene Cherny, and Igor Chudovsky.
After the hearing, an unidentified activist staged a provocation, shouting insulting words in the direction of Metropolitan Jonathan.

On June 5, 2023, the Vinnytsia City Court began to consider the case of Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchyn and Bratslav (Yeletskikh).

The hierarch of the UOC is accused under four articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Part 2 of Article 109 (actions aimed at a violent change or overthrow of the constitutional order or seizure of state power), Part 1 of Article 110 (an attack on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine), Part 3 of Article 436-2 (justification, recognition as lawful, denial of armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants) and Part 2 of Article 161 (violation of equality of citizens based on their religious preferences).

As reported, the trial of Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchyn and Bratslav started in Vinnytsia.

432 UOC churches damaged in Ukraine during war, report says

According to the Religion on Fire project, 807 religious buildings in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed as a result of hostilities.

DESS official gives number of clergy exempt from mobilization in Ukraine

A DESS representative said the actual number of clergy exempt from mobilization is significantly lower than the number of religious organizations designated as critical.

Cabinet keeps gas prices unchanged for religious organizations

The Cabinet has fixed gas prices for religious organizations through the end of the 2026–2027 heating season.

Concert held at seized Cherkasy cathedral

The OCU thanked the musical ensemble for choosing the Cherkasy cathedral as the venue for a Baroque music concert.

OCU activist admits breaking into UOC church in Sloviansk

Oleksandr Onyshchenko said that the OCU held its first "service" at the Seraphim Church, which had previously been broken into by forcing the locks and doors.

Archimandrite Ioustinos, longtime keeper of Jacob's Well, dies in Jordan

Archimandrite Ioustinos (Mamallos), the keeper of Jacob's Well in Nablus, has died after a prolonged illness.