SSU demands round-the-clock house arrest for Metropolitan Theodosius

On October 19, 2024, officers of the Security Service of Ukraine came to the hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkasy and Kaniv, with a document demanding that the bishop’s house arrest be tightened from night to round-the-clock. The department made this demand despite the fact that the hierarch was hospitalized with a concussion and burns to the eyes and respiratory tract, which he received as a result of pepper spraying during a clash with radicals near the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy, which was seized by supporters of the OCU on October 17. This is reported by the diocesan Telegram channel “Cherkasy Pilgrim”.

“Metropolitan Theodosius was diagnosed with a concussion, first-degree corneal burns of both eyes and skin burns as a result of the actions of the OCU militants during the seizure of the Cathedral in Cherkasy. The bishop was prescribed treatment and strict bed rest. However, despite the serious state of health of the bishop, today the SBU officers came to the metropolitan with a document demanding to toughen the arrest of the hierarch, changing it from night to round-the-clock. The obvious purpose of such actions seems to be the desire to prevent Metropolitan Theodosius from seeing his flock in Cherkasy and protecting them from the legal arbitrariness of local officials and attacks by militants. This request of the SBU will be considered in court,” — the statement said.

As reported, on the night of October 17, 2024, in Cherkasy, supporters of the OCU, with the support of local authorities, made another attempt to seize the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the Cherkasy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The armed raiders, taking advantage of the curfew, freely entered the church and diocesan premises at night, but with the onset of morning, Metropolitan Theodosius, the head of the Cherkasy diocese of the UOC, the clergy and parishioners of the cathedral gathered and defended the shrine, expelling the invaders.

After an unsuccessful nighttime attempt to seize the church, the OCU raiders, having increased their number, finally took possession of the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the Cherkasy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. During the next clash, the clergy and parishioners of the church were expelled from the premises. Many clergymen and believers of the UOC suffered injuries of varying severity and chemical burns from the raiders’ use of tear gas.