OCU cleric values his “moral injury” at 100,000 in suit against UOC bishop

Cleric of the OCU Iosif Zasansky. Photo: OCU

The Prydniprovskyi District Court of the city of Cherkasy found Metropolitan Theodosiy (Snihiriov), Metropolitan of Cherkasy and Kaniv of the UOC, guilty of inciting religious enmity and offending citizens’ religious feelings, and fined the hierarch 8,500 hryvnias.

The case concerns the metropolitan’s sermon of January 8, 2024, delivered after the forcible seizure of the Nativity of the Mother of God Monastery by OCU militants. As a result of that incident, one priest suffered a broken jaw, another was diagnosed with a concussion, and a parishioner underwent surgery for a leg fracture, with two plates and bolts inserted.

In the sermon, the text of which is reproduced in the verdict, the hierarch called OCU representatives “seizers” and “slanderers,” and also used the word “Judas” in reference to a priest who had joined the OCU.

The injured party in the case was former UOC cleric Iosif Zasanskyi. In court, he stated that the metropolitan’s words caused him “moral suffering,” as a result of which he “lost emotional balance” and developed insomnia. The current OCU cleric assessed his suffering at 100,000 hryvnias. At the same time, when asked to substantiate the claimed amount of non-pecuniary damages, the complainant was unable to answer.

UOC parishioners testified in court that at a community meeting in November 2023 they unanimously decided to remain in the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Defense witnesses said that no meeting about transferring to the OCU was held on monastery grounds on August 10, 2023 – the date cited in the documents.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Metropolitan Theodosiy shared details of his conviction.

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