"They demanded to recognize Epiphany as the head and surrender the Lavra": Metropolitan Pavel tells about the pressure on him by investigators

The hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the abbot of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel (Lebed), said that investigators in one of the criminal cases against him demanded that the bishop recognize Epiphany as his head and give the Lavra to representatives of the OCU. Metropolitan Pavel told this to the publication “Graty”.

“At first, someone came to me, I don’t remember who, and said: either you recognize Epiphany as your head, or you surrender the Lavra, or you will be suspected. I did not recognize him, I do not recognize him and I will not recognize him. Because I know the rights of the Church, just as you know all your rights. I have never changed the fact that I am a son of my state in my life and I have never even wanted to, and I am a son of the holy church, our canonical Orthodox Church. I am responsible to God,” – Metropolitan Pavel said and emphasized that he pleaded not guilty to any charges and had never been against any person in his life because ”he is the image of God.”

As reported, on December 11, 2024, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv held a regular hearing in the case of the hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the abbot of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel. At the meeting, the bishop’s lawyers made opening statements and determined the procedure for examining evidence. The lawyer of the Kyiv Cave Monastery, Archpriest Mykyta Chekman, said that all the charges against Metropolitan Pavel are unfounded and of a political nature.