Metropolitan Vissarion of Ovruch and Korosten has passed away

On September 18, at the age of 73, Metropolitan Vissarion (Stretovich) of Ovruch and Korosten passed away after a long illness. According to , the Information and Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Eminence departed to the Lord after receiving Holy Communion.

Metropolitan Vissarion’s life was inextricably linked to his service to the Church. After taking monastic vows in 1983 at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, he rose from the rank of cleric at the Transfiguration Cathedral in Zhytomyr to become head of the Ovruch Diocese, a position he assumed in 1993. Over the decades of his episcopal ministry in Polesie, Bishop Vissarion made a significant contribution to the spiritual life of the region: under his leadership, three monasteries were opened, numerous churches were consecrated, and hundreds of parishes were established.

His Eminence was honored with both ecclesiastical awards and the state Order “For Merit” of the Third Degree. The final years of the metropolitan’s life were overshadowed by a serious illness and protracted legal proceedings related to charges brought against him, which, despite a lengthy investigation, were never proven. In the final months of his life, while bedridden, His Eminence continued to face pressure from investigative authorities.

His colleagues and flock remember him as a devout monk, distinguished by his modesty and deep spirit of prayer. His memory will remain in the hearts of the believers of Polesye, to whom he dedicated most of his ministry.