In a manner akin to fundraising for a drone, UOC-MP churches are collecting money to provide bail for the former rector of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebid).
This was reported by Gazeta.ua.
Special donation boxes have been set up in the churches. A photograph of one of these boxes was shared by the spokesperson of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andriy Kovalov, on Facebook.
The photo was taken at the Church of Saint Agapitus of the Caves within the Lavra.
"While the entire Ukrainian nation is raising funds for drones to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine and contributing to the defense of Ukraine against Russian invaders, in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, followers of the Moscow Patriarchate are gathering money to secure bail for the suspected Kremlin agent! The individual known as 'Metropolitan Pavlo' – citizen Petro Lebid or, as he himself requested to be called, not 'Pasha Mercedes' but 'Pasha Tesla'. I fear that they might start collecting donations to support the so-called 'Wagner PMC' next," wrote Kovalov.
The bail amount required for the Metropolitan of the UOC-MP is 33 million UAH. The ROC in Ukraine has also announced the collection of funds on their social media pages.
The Solomianskyi District Court of Kyiv granted the prosecutors' request, changing the former rector of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra's house arrest to being held in custody until August 14, 2023. They have also granted him the opportunity to post bail in the amount of over 33 million UAH. The Metropolitan has already stated that he doesn't know where to find such a sum for bail. His defense plans to file an appeal.
On April 1, the Security Service of Ukraine handed a notice of suspicion to Metropolitan Pavlo. The former rector of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is suspected of inciting interreligious enmity and justifying Russia's armed aggression.