Sviatohirsk brethren: Charges against Metropolitan Arseny are fabricated

Metropolitan Arseny with the brethren of the monastery. Photo: facebook.com/svlavra

The brethren of the Sviatohirsk Lavra believe that the accusations brought against Metropolitan Arseny by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) are fabricated and unfounded.

The statement posted on the monastery's website says that the suspicions raised by the SBU are based on the claim that in September 2023, the bishop allegedly disclosed the locations of Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoints near the Lavra to the congregation during a sermon, thereby disseminating information of a military nature.

However, the monks write, "the defense is convinced that the accusation is unfounded and unsubstantiated, as the bishop did not disseminate any military information, which is confirmed by numerous weighty pieces of evidence."

The statement notes that "on the night of April 24-25, 2024, the Zhovtnevyi District Court in Dnipro fully granted the prosecutor's motion and ordered Metropolitan Arseny to be held in custody for 60 days. The defense's request for house arrest and the possibility of posting bail were ignored by the court. Around three o'clock in the morning, the bishop was immediately sent to Dnipro SIZO from the courtroom."

It is worth noting, "that according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the law and by a court verdict."

The monastery is confident that "the application of the measure of restraint in the form of detention, including without the possibility of posting bail, does not correspond to either the circumstances of the alleged offense or the personality of the suspect and indicates inhumane treatment of a person deserving respect, especially given his poor health."

"Metropolitan Arseny suffers from serious illnesses and therefore requires constant medical supervision and treatment, which is impossible to provide in the conditions of the detention center," they say in the Lavra.

According to the monks of the monastery, "the arrest of the bishop is a blatant violation of human rights and is aimed at forcibly removing Metropolitan Arseny from carrying out his obedience as the abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra, which is one of the main spiritual centers of Ukraine, and isolating him."

The brethren of the Sviatohirsk Lavra prayerfully support Metropolitan Arseny, await his prompt release from custody, and consider the accusations against the hierarch to be fabricated and unfounded.

"Despite the extensive destruction of the monastery, divine services continue to be held in the Lavra to this day with the support of Metropolitan Arseny, and the monastery's brethren continue their daily monastic endeavors. Also, a large number of people who have lost their homes due to military actions still reside in the Lavra," reminded the Lavra brethren.

The monks wrote that "Metropolitan Arseny is like the heart of the Lavra, without whom it is impossible to imagine the Sviatohirsk sanctuary."

"For all of us living in the Lavra, Metropolitan Arseny is an indispensable spiritual mentor, administrator, and intercessor. Therefore, the isolation of the bishop is a heavy blow for all of us," the brethren's statement reads.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the international human rights alliance "Church against Xenophobia and Discrimination" demanded the release of Metropolitan Arseny from custody, noting that foreign members of the organization are ready to provide personal surety for the UOC hierarch.

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