Metropolitan Theodosiy (Snihiriov)

Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv (secular name: Denys Snihiriov)

A bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Candidate of Theology, Professor at the Kyiv Theological Academy, lecturer in Pastoral Theology in the KTA’s postgraduate (master’s) program.

On August 17, 2020, by decision of the Holy Synod of the UOC, he was appointed ruling hierarch of the Cherkasy and Kaniv Eparchy.

The persecution of the hierarch by representatives of the Ukrainian authorities began after his criticism of the raider seizures of UOC churches carried out by supporters of the OCU.

For the Metropolitan’s public sermons exposing violence and crimes committed by representatives of the state and activists of the OCU, he has been charged under Part 2 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and Parts 2 and 3 of Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

It should be noted that the persecution of the hierarch actively involves the same group of OCU clerics, who appear in the cases either as “victims” or as “witnesses”. This fact points to direct cooperation between OCU clerics and law enforcement bodies in the fabrication of criminal cases.

On February 20, 2023, the first searches were conducted at the Metropolitan’s residence, and he was served with a notice of suspicion for inciting interreligious hatred.

According to the SBU, the Metropolitan “in public statements among clergy and believers … disseminated calls that violated the equality of citizens depending on … religious beliefs”.

Law enforcement agencies also claimed that the diocesan website “published hostile materials from pro-Kremlin resources of the ROC”.

A preventive measure was imposed in the form of round-the-clock house arrest with electronic monitoring.

(Source: Official website of the SBU)

On April 6, 2023, a second case followed, and the bishop was served with a notice of suspicion for “justifying aggression”.

Representatives of the SBU asserted that the hierarch allegedly “denied the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, justified the actions of the Russian military, and participated in propaganda through the diocesan website by posting content from pro-Kremlin resources”.

(Source: Official website of the SBU)

On October 5, 2023, a third notice of suspicion was served for inciting interreligious hatred.
According to the SBU, he recorded “provocative videos” in his home, in which he repeated “Kremlin narratives” about religious communities in Ukraine, expressed contempt for believers of other confessions, and discredited law enforcement officers who were “carrying out security measures on the territory of religious communities”.

(Source: Official website of the SBU)

On February 23, 2024, a fourth notice of suspicion was served for inciting interreligious hatred.
The SBU stated that this was the “fourth episode of subversive activity against Ukraine” – the Metropolitan allegedly disseminated “fakes” about the seizure of a church, “discredited clergy of other confessions, recorded destructive video addresses, and expert examinations (semantic-linguistic and forensic-psychological) confirmed the presence of unlawful actions”.

The hierarch is being persecuted for publicly testifying about the brutal storming of the St. Michael’s Cathedral of the UOC in the city of Cherkasy by a group of militants, representatives of the SBU, and local authorities.

(Source: Official website of the SBU)

On June 19, 2024, officers of the Security Service of Ukraine in Cherkasy carried out another search at the residence of Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy and Kaniv. The SBU Directorate in the Cherkasy Region reported a new – fifth – notice of suspicion against Metropolitan Theodosiy, related to the publication of sermons.

(Source: Official website of the SBU)