His Eminence Metropolitan Longin of Bancheny is known as one of the most stalwart hierarchs of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Therefore, he is also one of the prime targets of those who attack the Church.

During the night of January 22, 2024, an unknown assailant attacked the Metropolitan, striking him in the face. It was noted that due to the blow he lost consciousness, and a surgical intervention was performed on his eyelids. 

“Someone knocked on the door three times, and when I opened it, I was struck and knocked unconscious… I feel good now! Everything is left to the mercy and judgment of God!,” added the hierarch.

Later Metropolitan Longin said: “To calm everyone down, I’ll say a few words so that no one worries. We are doing well; everything is going as it should go according to our Orthodox faith. We must endure, suffer, and pray. I feel ill a little now but I got what I deserved. So the Lord gives. Glory to You, God! But may God forgive and have mercy on everyone. I won’t say anything more,” the hierarch said.

In the hospital, he was informed that he survived the attack solely because of the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of his head.

“The doctors, when they saw, said: ‘Vladyka, you have a different structure of the head. If it were like everyone else’s, you wouldn’t be alive. You have everything intact; your bone is intact. The Lord simply saved you,'” the archbishop conveyed the conversation with the doctors.

Metropolitan Longin also noted that “for two years in Ukraine, they have been beating priests and old women, taking away churches and dividing the Ukrainian people.”

The hierarch also refuted the information published by bloggers and clerics that the fall was caused by taking pills.

“Everyone says that allegedly I am lying in the hospital, that I felt bad from the pills, got dizzy, fell twice, hit. Don’t believe it, brothers and sisters. If you don’t know anything, it’s better to keep silent and pray, brothers and sisters. I embrace you all and love you,” he added.

Sources: spzh.media, orthochristian.com