Bishop who allegedly planned to kill Patriarch Filaret may receive a prison sentence of three to seven years

Shevchenkivsky District Court of Kyiv seized a pepper-spray cartridge with tear gas Peretz 1-B, which former Bishop Sebastian (secular name Mykhailo Wozniak) used at the residence of Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine. This is reported by Glavkom with reference to the court's ruling of July 27.

The materials of the case indicate that the ex-clergyman sprayed a gas cartridge in the face of a nun, sister Varvara, who is the Patriarchate’s housekeeper. Later, doctors diagnosed a first-degree chemical burn of conjunctiva of both victim's eyes.

The Investigator of the Shevchenko disctrict National Police Department noted that this cartridge was recognized as a piece of material evidence in the criminal proceedings under Part 4 of Art. 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (“Hooliganism”), according to which Sebastian was presented with charges.

The article provides for the punishment in the form of deprivation of liberty for a term of 3 to 7 years. In addition, the court arrested 31 books titled Altogether Behind the Scenes of the Altar: how to live further?”, which is also recognized as material evidence in this case.

As it was reported, the former Bishop Sebastian was preparing an assassination attempt on the Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv. On May 25 this year, accompanied by his son, he tried to get into the private rooms of Filaret. He was stopped by the Patriarchate’s housekeeper, nun Varvara, whom Sebastian attacked, spraying gas in her face.

Subsequently, the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate deposed Bishop Sebastian for the attempt of killing Patriarch Filaret.

The participants of the Synod “had a discussion about the criminal acts of Bishop Sebastian (secular name Wozniak Mykhailo Yaroslavovych), former Bishop of Chernihiv and Nizhyn.” It is noted that this bishop was dismissed from the administration of the diocese 10 years ago – “according to his petition of March 17, 2008" citing personal reasons. As it turned out, he has a family and must “bring up children.” Former Bishop Sebastian was remembered through the fact that in 2005 in the Vydubychi Monastery of Kyiv, he conducted a wedding ceremony for Yulia Timoshenko’s daughter Yevhenia and a British rock musician, Sean Carr.