Former abbot of UOC monastery put on trial in murder case

In Khmelnytskyy region, a trial has begun over the former vicar of the Holy Cross-Vozdvizhenskyy monastery of the UOC of Starokonstantiniv city, Archimandrite Joasaph (Horkavchuk), who is accused of the death of a serviceman. The family of the deceased demands 8 million hryvnias of moral compensation from the clergyman. The suspect himself has been in pre-trial detention without bail for about four months.

According to the Glavkom newspaper, civil lawsuits against Archimandrite Ioasaph (Horkavchuk) were filed by the parents, wife and daughter of the deceased soldier. The Starokonstantinovskyi district court started consideration of the case on the merits in late October. The appeals court repeatedly rejected the defense’s appeals to change the measure of restraint, despite the statements about the deteriorating health of the suspect, who has group II disability.

According to the investigation, the conflict between the ex-primate of the monastery, who was in a state of alcoholic intoxication, and the serviceman occurred on the territory of the monastery. During the quarrel, the clergyman struck the man at least 12 blows to the torso and at least 5 blows to the head. From the received injuries, including injuries to the head, torso and heart, the victim died on the spot. It is noteworthy that initially the cause of death medics called acute pancreatitis.

We shall remind you that on August 7, 2025 Metropolitan of Khmelnytskyi and Starokonstantinivskyi Viktor (Kotsaba) visited the Holy Cross Monastery in Starokonstantiniv, where a tragic incident with the death of a man occurred the other day. After the visit there was an order to change the leadership of the monastery.