Court postpones hearing in the case of Metropolitan Arseniy of Sviatohirsk

Metropolitan Arseniy. Photo: svlavra.church.ua

On September 5, 2025, the Dnipro Court of Appeals delayed consideration of the case of Metropolitan Arseniy, abbot of the Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra, who continues to be held in the Dnipro pre-trial detention center without a verdict. The Lavra’s press service reported the decision.

The Lavra specified that the hearing originally scheduled for September 5 has been rescheduled for Thursday, September 11, the Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. The session is to begin at 13:00. In addition, on September 10 at 13:00, the Sloviansk City District Court of Donetsk region is set to hold a preliminary hearing.

Metropolitan Arseniy has been held in the Dnipro pre-trial detention center since April 25, 2024.

The brethren of the Lavra have appealed to the faithful for prayers on behalf of the imprisoned hierarch.

Earlier, the international organization Club of National Unity – which includes Ukrainian politicians who left the country due to government pressure – published a list of 368 people it regards as political prisoners. The list also includes clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The UOJ previously reported that the Dnipro Court of Appeals was to consider complaints against the decision to extend the detention of the abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra.

Read also