Patriarch Porfirije issues condolences over monk's murder

Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church has issued a statement of condolence to Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv following the killing of Monk Varsanufiy at the Holy Dormition Svyatogorsk Lavra. The incident also resulted in the serious wounding of two others, including Monk Grigory and a refugee named Andrey Kiriyenko.

The fatal attack by unidentified perpetrators occurred in late August near a 17th-century church in the northern part of the Donetsk region. The monastery is managed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

In his message, Patriarch Porfirije emphasized that monasteries serve as sanctuaries for the displaced and noted that the violence within a place of refuge is deeply painful. He stated, “no matter the results of the investigation, we can say already: no man should be put in a position where professing faith is a condition for survival,” and urged that this violent death not be used as a weapon by any party.