Abbot of Pochaiv Lavra to Metropolitan Arseniy: We pray for you daily
The Pochaiv Lavra brethren. Photo: the monastery's press service
The Sviatohirsk Lavra reported that Metropolitan Arseniy received a letter of support from the abbot of the Pochaiv Lavra, Metropolitan Volodymyr, sent on behalf of the entire brotherhood of the monastery.
In his address, he expressed fraternal love, spiritual support, and assurance of his constant prayers to the archbishop.
"I, unworthy as I am, together with the entire brotherhood of the Holy Dormition PochaIv Lavra, daily offer prayers to the Lord to strengthen you on your archpastoral path, grant you spiritual firmness, courage, and peace of heart, and help you worthily accomplish this feat of faith," wrote Bishop Volodymyr.
He noted that the Church has always gone through sorrows and persecutions, and quoted the words of the Savior: “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). According to him, it is faith, humility, and patience that become a testimony of the true Christian spirit.
“‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven’ (Matt. 5:10). These words of the Savior strengthen faith and courage in the heart, reminding us that suffering is indeed a guarantee of eternal reward. Saint John Chrysostom teaches: ‘What matters is not what happens to us, but how we accept it,’” noted the abbot of the Pochaiv Lavra.
He wished that the Lord would continue to strengthen Metropolitan Arseniy "in these difficult circumstances, sending the grace-filled strength to bear the cross".
Metropolitan Volodymyr expressed hope that the current trials would also strengthen the entire Church: “Just as the glorious Resurrection followed Golgotha, so too today goodness will inevitably triumph over evil, and God’s truth will shine even more brightly.”
As reported, on November 3, the Soborny District Court of Dnipro decided to detain Metropolitan Arseniy of Sviatohirsk in a pre-trial detention center for 38 days, until December 10, 2025. The decision was made despite the critical health condition of the archbishop and the readiness of 10 members of parliament to bail him.
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