Metropolitan Longin called the murder of a monk at the Svyatogorsk Lavra a tragedy for the entire Orthodox world

Metropolitan Longin of Banchen strongly condemned the recent murder of a monk at the Svyatogorsk Lavra, calling the incident a profound tragedy for all Orthodox Christians. The hierarch emphasized that this crime is a blow to the entire Orthodox faith and called on the international community, as well as the Local Orthodox Churches, to unite in prayer in support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) during this time of severe trials.

, expressed concern that official authorities and the general public have remained conspicuously silent in response to the death of the monastery’s cleric. Metropolitan Longin noted that believers perceive the incident as an act of extreme cruelty, while the country’s legal system, he said, fails to provide adequate protection for the constitutional rights of UOC believers.

The bishop also paid tribute to the deceased monk, emphasizing that he remained faithful to God until his last breath and bore witness to his faith. Amid the ongoing persecution and the lack of response from the state, believers can only place their hope in the Lord and in the prayerful support of like-minded people from around the world, the metropolitan concluded.

As a reminder, the attack on the residents of the Svyatogorsk Lavra took place on August 23. As a result of the incident, Monk Varsonofy (Turyansky) was killed, while monk Gregory and Andrei Kirienko, a refugee living at the monastery, sustained serious injuries. A criminal investigation was opened into the incident, but as of now, the identities of the attackers have not been officially established.