Phanar hierarch honors Ukrainian patron formely branded a criminal kingpin

Petrovsky together with the Metropolitan of Austria and Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: Press Service of the Austrian Metropolis

On November 20, 2025, Patriarch Bartholomew received at the Phanar Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria together with a group of Ukrainians led by businessman Oleksandr Petrovsky, according to the press service of the Austrian Metropolis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

In September, Petrovsky was awarded the highest distinction of the Austrian Metropolis – the “Golden Cross.”

As quoted by the outlet Ukrainski Novyny, the Metropolitan of Austria said Petrovsky received the award “for his sincere attitude toward the hierarch and the Ecumenical Throne, and for all his donations to this day, as well as for his willingness to help and support us in the future.”

“He is, in essence, our Archon,” the hierarch emphasized.

“The Church has honored Mr. Petrovsky and given him the status, so to speak, of the first and principal benefactor of the Ukrainian communities. And not only the Ukrainian ones, but of the entire Austrian Metropolis. He is a benefactor of the highest ecclesiastical recognition,” explained another hierarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Bishop Maximos of Aristea (Rudko).

Ukrainski Novyny notes that Patriarch Bartholomew knows Petrovsky and his long-time business partner Emil Arutiunian well, since they were actively involved in negotiations on receiving the Tomos for the OCU.

At the same time, Petrovsky and his partner Arutiunian have a questionable reputation in Ukraine.

According to former Interior Minister Yurii Lutsenko, “Petrovsky, known in certain circles under the nickname ‘Naryk,’ appeared in Ministry of Internal Affairs documents as the leader of an organized crime group.”

In 2019, Ukraine saw a scandal after journalist Yurii Butusov published a photo of Petrovsky together with Poroshenko and Dumenko, adding a comment about the businessman’s criminal past.

In response, Arutiunian and Petrovsky filed a lawsuit demanding a ban on calling them “criminal authorities” under the nicknames “Emil” and “Naryk.” After a series of court proceedings, Petrovskyi and Arutiunian lost the case.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that criminal figures who were aides to an OCU sponsor were detained in Dnipro.

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