An Orthodox Church leader in Kyiv has had his residence investigated by Ukrainian investigators after being accused of justifying Russia's armed action against Ukraine. Metropolitan Pavel Lebed is the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, which is often considered the most significant monastery in Ukraine. His particular branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) had traditionally shown allegiance to the clergy of Moscow.
Prosecutors' Investigation
According to BBC, Prosecutors in Kyiv have stated that they believe he is responsible for inciting both national and religious hatred. He and his followers have been the target of Kyiv's efforts to remove them from the monastery. The claims have been refuted by Metropolitan Pavel, who also contends that the Kyiv authorities do not have any legitimate reasons for expelling the monks and staff members from the monastery.
At his court appearance on Saturday, April 1, he referred to it as "a political case" and stated, "I've never been on the side of aggression." Nevertheless, he did not specifically identify Russia in either statement.
Moreover, Aljazeera reported amid hearings on whether he glorified invading Russian forces and stoked religious divisions. According to his church, a court in Ukraine's capital has sentenced Pavel to house arrest. The hearings occur while the court investigates whether or not he glorified the invading Russian forces. According to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), a court in Kyiv issued an additional order requiring Metropolitan Pavel to wear an electronic bracelet. A period of sixty days' home arrest had been imposed on Pavel.
Kyiv has been cracking down on the UOC because it is pro-Russian and is collaborating with Moscow, an accusation that the church disputes led to the judgment. At the beginning of the week, Pavel had denounced and threatened Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with damnation. Pavel is a monk at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Monks Refuse to Leave Kyiv Monastery
Monks of the Orthodox faith were told to leave a monastery in Kyiv but have refused to do so even though the time to depart the complex has come. ABC News reported that the struggle over the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery, the holiest Orthodox site in Ukraine, is just one aspect of a more significant theological conflict being fought in parallel with the war.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, suspected of having ties to Russia, is the denomination practiced on the land by the monks. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian government holds the land in question, and the organization managing the property informed the Ukrainian Olympic Committee earlier this month that, from March 29, it would be terminating the lease.
On Wednesday, Metropolitan Pavel announced to the congregation that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church would remain at the location until the conclusion of a case lodged against the eviction last week at a court in Kyiv. The government asserts that the monks broke the lease terms by changing the historical monument and committing several other technical violations. The monks of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church disagree with this assessment and refer to the allegations as an excuse.
Related Article: Ukrainian Authorities Suspect Orthodox Christian Leaders of Russian Ties Following Probe on Monastery Complex
