Bag with white substance found: Ex-Bishop of Vienna arrested

According to media reports, the spokeswoman for the Czech National Drug Center, Lucie Smoldasova, explained that the operation was based on an anonymous tip. A laboratory analysis should now clarify what the substance is. So far, no one has been formally charged. Metropolitan Hilarion himself rejects all allegations.

The clergyman said via his Telegram channel that he “never had any connection to the illegal trade in narcotics.” At the same time, he spoke of a “provocation” and called for a “complete, independent and constitutionally sound investigation.” His lawyer made serious allegations against the police’s actions and spoke of possible violations of procedural rules. Accordingly, the metropolitan was separated from his vehicle during the search and was not able to observe the operation. According to the defense, there were also no witnesses or a video recording of the search.

Moscow sees “staged accusations”

The case also triggered diplomatic reactions. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the allegations as “targeted and staged accusations” aimed at discrediting the metropolitan and the Orthodox Church. Moscow also summoned the Czech ambassador. A protest note was handed over to his deputy at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, the Czech news agency CTK reported.

Hilarion, who was also Bishop of Vienna and Austria from 2003 to 2009, was long considered one of the most influential representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and at times even a possible successor to Patriarch Kirill. In 2022, he was unexpectedly and without giving reasons withdrawn from the management of the foreign office of the Moscow Patriarchate and moved to the Russian Orthodox Eparchy of Budapest-Hungary.

After allegations ranging from sexual assault on an assistant to an inappropriate life of luxury and high-handed handling of donations, the metropolitan was removed as head of the Hungarian Eparchy at the end of 2024 and retired. His place of work was assigned to an Orthodox church in Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic. The metropolitan has also been the subject of controversial reporting in the Czech Republic for a long time. The newspaper “Denik N” in particular published extensive research into Hilarion’s alleged contacts with the Russian secret service.