Court Extends Preventive Measure Against Metr. Theodosy Until September

CHERKASY, UKRAINE — A court in Cherkasy has extended the preventive measure imposed on Metr. Theodosy, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's (UOC) Cherkasy Diocese, until Sept. 30, 2026. This was reported by Suspilne Cherkasy.

The Sosnivskyi District Court granted prosecutors' request to continue the hierarch's personal recognizance for an additional two months. Prosecutors argued that risks remain that the metropolitan could evade the court or influence proceedings, citing the existence of multiple criminal cases against him and alleging he had pressured victims during court hearings.

The Metropolitan's defense rejected those claims, arguing that prosecutors failed to provide evidence supporting the alleged risks. Defense attorney Tamara Hridenko described the motion as a formality and maintained that the case lacks sufficient evidence, while Metr. Theodosy called the prosecution's request "a farce."

The court ultimately ruled to extend the existing restrictions, requiring the hierarch to continue complying with conditions previously imposed by the court. Under Ukrainian law, personal recognizance is the least restrictive preventive measure and does not involve detention, but requires the defendant to fulfill court-ordered obligations while legal proceedings continue.

This marks the latest in a series of events similar to the case of Metr. Arseny of Sviatohirsk. For Metr. Theodosy, his cathedral in Cherkasy was seized in 2024, with masked raiders severely injuring the bishop. Since then, he has struggled with health issues and an alleged poisoning all while dealing with court hearings.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Metr. Theodosy had published an appeal to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, asking him to revoke the Tomos granted to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and end the persecution of the canonical UOC.