Trial of Metropolitan Arseniy in Dnipro postponed until June

His Eminence Metropolitan Arseniy attending the hearing online. Photo: Sviatohirsk Lavra

Metropolitan Arseniy (Yakovenko), abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra, was due to appear before the Chechelivka District Court of Dnipro on May 13, 2026, but the hearing was postponed until June 11. This was reported by the press service of the Sviatohirsk Lavra.

On the day of the hearing, the brethren of the Lavra and the sisters of the Lavra sketes held a joint prayer service. Faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church gathered in the courtroom to support the hierarch. Metropolitan Arseniy took part in the hearing by video conference and managed to address those present with a brief archpastoral word.

The postponement was caused by several circumstances at once. The defense did not recognize the authority of the newly arrived prosecutor and, before the hearing began, filed a complaint against the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office’s decision to replace the group of prosecutors. Three of the metropolitan’s four lawyers requested an adjournment for objective reasons, and the court granted the motion.

Taking into account the agreed position of the parties, the defense withdrew its request for immediate consideration of the motion to ease the restrictions imposed on the metropolitan. The motion may be filed again and considered at the next hearing, scheduled for June 11 at 1:00 p.m.

The court also granted Metropolitan Arseniy permission to attend a church service on his name day, May 21, 2026, undergo medical procedures, and exercise his rights in court proceedings related to the protection of his civil interests.

As the UOJ reported, Metropolitan Arseniy recently underwent heart surgery.

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