Metropolitan Leonid (Gorbachev) faces trial by ROC Supreme Church Court

Retired bishop Leonid (Gorbachev). Photo: Gorbachev's tg-channel

Former African Exarch Metropolitan Leonid (Gorbachev), who was retired by the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), has been summoned to court for ecclesiastical offenses, as he reported in his Telegram channel.

He stated that he recently wrote about the violation of his rights and soon received a summons to the Supreme Church Court with the wording "for ecclesiastical offenses revealed during the transfer of affairs when released from the position of the rector of the Church of All Saints at Kulishki."

The hierarch referred to the summons as a "disgrace". He assured that he did not commit any violations.

"I will be 'judged' because one person decided so. For a long time now, one person has been deciding everything for us," complained Metropolitan Leonid.

Earlier, it was reported that in September 2023, the head of the ROC removed the Exarch of the ROC in Africa from the position of the rector of the church in Moscow, and in December, the Synod decided to retire him.

It will be reminded that according to Metropolitan Leonid, as the ROC gains influence in Ukraine, it will take over the eparchies of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Read also

Primatial Liturgy of American and Macedonian Churches to be held in USA

The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is set to formally recognize the autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church during a joint Divine Liturgy on September 2, at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

OCU activists accuse UOC of being pro-Russian due to the word "Orthodox"

The brotherhood created with the blessing of "hierarch" Viktor Bed' placed a photo of a person in a pullover with the phrase "We are Orthodox".