A threat to Metropolitan Arseny's life: the defense of the vicar of Svyatogorsk Lavra fears a forced operation or exchange of the bishop

The situation around Metropolitan Arseniy, the vicar of Sviatogorsk Lavra, who is being held in the pre-trial detention center, has reached a critical point. Vladyka, contrary to his wishes, is scheduled for a complex heart surgery, which is scheduled for January 7, on Christmas Day, in Dnipro. Metropolitan Arseniy categorically refuses to undergo the procedure in the mentioned medical institution, citing a threat to life and insufficient competence of the clinic, and demands hospitalization in a specialized institute in Kiev. The defense side does not exclude the possibility of forced surgery or forced exchange of the bishop. About it reports the press service of the Holy Assumption Svyatogorsk Lavra of the UOC.

As reported, on January 6, Christmas Eve, Vladyka Arseny is scheduled for hospitalization in Dnipropetrovsk regional clinical center for diagnosis and treatment. The goal is to perform a complex heart surgery on January 7, exactly on Christmas Eve. Metropolitan Arseniy, who was recommended urgent surgical intervention back in September, refused such a «generous» but, in his opinion, deadly dangerous offer.

Vladyka does not refuse treatment in principle, but expresses serious concerns about the upcoming intervention. According to the lawyers, according to the expert opinion of leading medical specialists from Kiev, the Dnipro clinic does not have the necessary level of competence for operations of such complexity. In addition, it is emphasized that the body of the bishop, exhausted by a year and a half stay in the pre-trial detention center, cannot be prepared for a heavy surgical intervention in just one day. Metropolitan Arseny needs preliminary rehabilitation, comprehensive examination and gradual preparation for surgery. Therefore, he agrees to medical assistance, but asks the court to allow him to be hospitalized at the Heart Institute in Kiev to receive qualified assistance from doctors he trusts and who have extensive experience with his condition.

One of the Metropolitan’s attorneys stressed that «all the more one cannot count on acceptable medical assistance from the doctors of the hospital, from which Vladyka Arseny was expelled on November 3, 2025, without even hiding the external pressure and without having time to destroy the material evidence of the planned hospitalization: the defense has a container for taking tests, which was then given to the Vladyka in the hospital».

The defense has submitted to the court the expert conclusions of medical specialists. However, as the lawyer notes, the Chechelovsky court of Dnipro, which received all the case materials, including data on the critical state of health of the Metropolitan, suddenly «went blind». On the eve of the holidays, the judge said that allegedly has no information about the illnesses of Lord Arseny.

«It is also at this very moment that the head doctor of the SIZO hospital has quit, and the leadership of the medical service has gone on vacation, as if absolving themselves of responsibility for what will happen in the coming days, » the lawyer said, adding to the list of disturbing circumstances.

Despite the refusal of Vladyka Arseniy to undergo surgery in Dnipro and the availability of documents confirming the impossibility of surgical intervention in the local hospital, on January 5, 2026, blood was forcibly taken from the bishop for analysis. In addition, it became known that on January 6 it is planned to take him out of the building of the pre-trial detention center, while the destination remains unknown.

According to the Metropolitan’s defenders, these circumstances give them reason to believe that all these actions are part of a plan to conduct a forced operation or an attempt to forcibly exchange the Vicar of Sviatogorsk Lavra.

In connection with the critical situation, supporters and defenders of Metropolitan Arseny call on all believers to intensify prayers for his health and well-being.

Recall, earlier we reported that the Chechelovsky district court of the city of Dnipro on December 6, 2025 extended the term of detention of the vicar of the Sviatogorsk Lavra Metropolitan Arseny for another 60 days, until February 3, 2026. This decision was made against the backdrop of numerous procedural violations, including the non-admission of lawyers and people’s deputies, as well as ignoring the statements of nine deputies of the Verkhovna Rada about their willingness to take the vicar on bail or post bail.