Metropolitan Arseniy left behind bars for another 60 days

Metropolitan Arseny. Photo: Sviatohirsk Lavra

On January 20–21, 2026, the Chechelivsky District Court of Dnipro considered the issue of extending the preventive measure against the abbot of the Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra, Metropolitan Arseniy. The court granted the prosecutor's motion and kept the hierarch in custody for another 60 days – until March 22, 2026. This was reported by the press service of the Sviatohirsk Monastery.

The defense requested to replace detention with a milder measure and insisted on urgent hospitalization of the bishop due to his serious health condition and the need for heart surgery.

During the hearing, a Kyiv professor of medicine stated that the prescribed treatment not only fails to help Metropolitan Arseniy but also harms him, and that a full medical examination is impossible in the detention conditions.

The court also refused emergency hospitalization, however, it granted the defense's motion for online broadcasting of further court hearings.

The lawyers are preparing an appeal.

The hearings were attended by believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who came to support the abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra.

As the UOJ reported, Metropolitan Longin called to stand up for the defense of Bishop Arseniy.

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