Photo: UOC MP
Metropolitan Longin was summoned for interrogation
The metropolitan offended the religious feelings of believers and provoked an aggravation of the internal situation in the region, the SBU noted.
The rector of the Holy Ascension Monastery of the Chernivtsi-Bukovina diocese of the UOC-MP was engaged in inciting inter-religious hatred. The Metropolitan was declared suspect, the SBU reports on Monday, May 22.
“During the liturgies, he spoke disparagingly about the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, calling it the “church of the Antichrist” and “satanic”. In this way, he offended the religious feelings of believers and provoked an aggravation of the internal situation in the region,” the report says.
The SBU initiated a linguistic examination, which confirmed the facts of the clergyman’s criminal activities. He was informed of a suspicion under the article on violation of the equality of citizens depending on their racial, national, regional affiliation, religious beliefs, disability and other signs (part 1 of article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Currently, the issue of choosing a measure of restraint is being decided. The investigation is ongoing.
In turn, the Chernivtsi-Bukovina diocese of the UOC confirmed that the police opened a case against the abbot of the Banchensky monastery, Metropolitan Longin (Mikhail Vasilyevich Zhar) and summoned him for questioning.
