Metropolitan Theodosius called the murder of a monk from the Svyatogorsk Lavra a manifestation of satanic hatred

Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kaniv commented on the recent brutal murder of the monk Varsonofy at the Svyatogorsk Lavra, comparing the incident to the martyrdom of the holy martyr Raphaela (of Tertatsk). The bishop made a statement to this effect during a sermon at the celebrations at the Holy Trinity Chigirinsky Convent on August 24, 2026.

In the of his sermon , Metropolitan Theodosius emphasized that the atrocities to which Monk Varsonofy was subjected — in particular, the knife wounds inflicted on his face — are a direct reflection of the “satanic hatred” with which believers were persecuted a hundred years ago. As a historical parallel, he cited the martyrdom of Abbess Raphaela, who was subjected to brutal torture after the closure of her monastery.

The bishop noted that such events serve as a stark reminder to the modern Orthodox community of the necessity to choose between remaining faithful to Christian principles and betrayal. In his view, a person’s readiness to steadfastly profess their faith in the face of mortal danger depends entirely on how deeply they have followed the Gospel commandments in their daily life, not limiting themselves to mere outward signs of religiosity.

As a reminder, the attack on the monastic community of the Svyatogorsk Lavra took place on August 23, on the eve of the commemorative date marking the 100th anniversary of the death of the holy martyr Raphaela.