Court remands vicar of Sviatogorsk Lavra in custody

On June 7, 2024, the Oktyabrsky District Court of Dnipro held a regular hearing in the case of Metropolitan Arseniy (Yakovenko), the vicar of the Holy Assumption Svyatogorsk Lavra. The court decided to assist the defense in changing the measure of restraint of the bishop, leaving him in custody in the pre-trial detention center until June 22 without the right to bail. This is reported by the press service of the Svyatogorsk Lavra.

It is reported that the court left the hierarch in the detention center despite the fact that ten people’s deputies of Ukraine from various factions were ready to vouch for him. The arguments of Metropolitan Arseniy’s lawyers, who insist on changing the measure of restraint due to his advanced age and poor health, were also not taken into account.

The bishop himself did not admit his guilt. «I asked the people standing in the cathedral to pray that the situation at the roadblocks would be resolved, and the pilgrims who were not allowed through would eventually be able to get to the feast. All accusations against me are not justified and cause me bewilderment,” — said the vicar of Lavra.

We will remind, earlier we reported that in the Security Service of Ukraine told us why still not released from the detention center of the vicar of the Holy Assumption Svyatogorsk Lavra Metropolitan Arseny (Yakovenko). The agency said that the bishop’s case is still under investigation and additional evidence of his guilt is being collected.