Metropolitan Luke speaks about searches at his place of residence

Metropolitan Luke addressed the faithful. Photo: Zaporizhzhia Eparchy

Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol asked his flock for holy prayers and recounted the details of the search conducted at his premises by the Security Service of Ukraine on May 1.

The bishop stated that law enforcement officers showed him a telegram letter addressed to a person declared an enemy of Ukraine, and prayers. Allegedly, this letter and prayers were sent by the UOC hierarch to himself at the beginning of 2023. The Metropolitan reminded that his email had been hacked several times, as he publicly warned, and anyone could access his phone.

"Now they are going to accuse me of imaginable and unimaginable sins. In crimes against Ukraine, against the people of Ukraine. There is nothing surprising in this. According to the laws of the devilish society, any inconvenient person must be destroyed," he noted.

The UOC hierarch said that when the SBU appeared at his doorstep, he sprinkled them with holy water. In response, one of the intruders shouted, "Get rid of your Satanism!"

During the search, according to Metropolitan Luke, he was constantly asked about the OCU: "Why don't you join the OCU? Why weren't you at the council in 2018? Why didn't you submit to 'Pope' Bartholomew?" The archpastor said that his words about not joining the OCU were prompted not by hatred for this organization but by concern for his flock. "I can't say to my flock to go to hell, to go to the abyss!" he stated.

"They want to judge me for the truth. For speaking the truth. Not political, not geopolitical, but our church truth. About Christ! The truth that leads only to one thing – to salvation! I am responsible for you. And I will answer before God. Here I am, Lord, and here is my flock!" said Metropolitan Luke.

The Metropolitan underscored that he had never called on parishioners to do anything against Ukraine.

"We pray for our country, for the authorities and the army. You hear it. And this is our duty. Some say, 'they are not Christians, not Orthodox'. Is it for you to judge? Do you have the right? You don't. But you are obliged to pray for them. Which we do," he said.

Metropolitan Luke said that he is facing a court hearing to choose a preventive measure. The prosecution insists on round-the-clock house arrest, and the investigator has already transferred the case to court.

As reported by the UOJ, on May 1, 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine served the suspicion to Metropolitan Luke of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It is reported that Metropolitan Luke "provoked and fueled religious hatred in Ukraine".

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