Abbot of Kyiv monastery summoned for interrogation, restrictive measure to be decided
Metropolitan Pavlo Lebid of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) was summoned for interrogation by the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) on Saturday, 1 April.
Source: website of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves)
Details: It is noted that Pavlo was summoned for interrogation by the SSU at 12:00, after searches at his home.
He is suspected of "infringing the equal rights of citizens based on their religious beliefs" and "glorifying participants in the Russian Federation’s armed aggression against Ukraine".
After that, the issue of choosing a restrictive measure will be decided.
A video in which Pavlo says he has been "put under house arrest" is being shared online.
Background:
- In March 2023, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve terminated an agreement with the UOC-MP that allowed the church to use the premises of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra free of charge. UOC-MP clergy were ordered to vacate all premises of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra by 29 March.
- The priests of the UOC-MP should have left the monastery on 29 March after holding their last service there.
- But Metropolitan Pavlo said he did not intend to do that and filed a lawsuit against the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve.
- He also openly threatened Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and said Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko was "possessed by a diabolical madness".
- On the evening of 29 March, the UOC-MP website reported that the Kyiv Commercial Court had opened proceedings in a case brought by the Holy Dormition Monastery against the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve over the termination of the lease agreement by the National Reserve.
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