Odesa metropolitan left city, whereabouts unknown - online publication
MOSCOW. May 14 (Interfax) - Metropolitan Agafangel of Odesa and Izmayil has left Odesa, and his current whereabouts are unknown, the online publication Rupor Odessy (Odesa's Mouthpiece, rupor.od.ua) has reported.
The website said, citing the Odesa Eparchy press service, that the metropolitan is "on an agreed upon vacation." The press service could not confirm his current whereabouts.
A week ago, Metropolitan Agafangel called on UN and OSCE representatives in Ukraine to take measures regarding "non-involvement of political groups and their force units in the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church's activities" and protection of the Odesa Eparchy's property and the lives and health of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church priests and congregation.
Metropolitan Agafangel was earlier a member of the then ruling Party of Regions of Ukraine and a deputy of the Odesa Regional Council.