UOC leader freed from night-time house arrest after two years of persecution

Cherkasy, Cherkasy Province, Ukraine, March 19, 2025

Photo: news.church.ua

The persecuted Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has finally been released from nighttime house arrest after two years of such restrictions on his movements.

At first, His Eminence was under around-the-clock house arrest Persecuted Ukrainian hierarch returns to ministry after 8 months of round-the-clock house arrestAccording to today’s decision of the Cherkasy Court, Met. Theodosy now has a great deal more freedom, though he remains under nighttime house arrest.

“>for eight months, with the original two months being continually extended without cause. Like several other hierarchs of the UOC who are targeted by the state for remaining in the canonical Church, Met. Theodosy faces fabricated charges of inciting religious enmity (for his stance against the schismatics) and of supporting the war against Ukraine. Since December 2023, he had been under nighttime house arrest, which was still disruptive to his ability to effectively pastor his flock.

But yesterday, the Sosnovsky District Court in Cherkasy rejected the prosecutor’s petition to extend the preventative measure again, reports Orthodox Life.

Instead, Met. Theodosy was placed under “personal obligation,” meaning he is obligated to appear in court at each request; to report any change of residence, work, and contact phone number; to refrain from communicating with witnesses in the criminal proceedings; and to continue storing his passport and other documents for traveling abroad with the appropriate state authorities.

“I’ve already been under house arrest for two years… I can’t fully carry out my activities, since I can only leave the house at five in the morning. The Cherkassy diocese suffers from this,” Met. Theodosy told the court.

“The prosecutor is biased towards this process and towards me personally. He has made anti-Church remarks,” said the hierarch.

Met. Theodosy also added that he has health problems. Met. Theodosy of Cherkasy, UOC, suffers a heart attackThe Metropolitan been on trial for over a year.

“>In July, he suffered a heart attack. He also suffered burns and a concussion in the bloody attack on the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy Metropolitan Theodosy diagnosed with burns and concussion after violent seizure of Cherkasy cathedral (+VIDEO)Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kanev was severely injured. During the attack, he was beaten, his klobuk was torn off, and his bishop’s staff was snatched away and used to strike believers.”>in October.