Vasyl Lomachenko publicly supports Metropolitan Longin amid a new wave of persecutions

Famous Ukrainian boxer, IBF and IBO world champion Vasyl Lomachenko has expressed his support for Metropolitan Longin (Zhar) and the Bancheny Monastery, which have once again come under pressure from law enforcement agencies. The athlete published this post on his Facebook page.

The new wave of persecutions erupted following the spread of fake information online by photographer Edgar Kalancha. According to reports, this slander served as the basis for another criminal case opened against Metropolitan Longin and the monastery.

As a sign of support, Lomachenko posted a photo together with Metropolitan Longin on social media, accompanied by a passage from the Gospel:

«Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.»

It is worth noting that media reports have appeared claiming that in the orphanage at the Bancheny Monastery in the Chernivtsi region, under the care of Metropolitan Longin, there are alleged cases of abuse against the wards.