Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Hilarion detained in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, former head of external relations for the Moscow Patriarchate, was detained by police in the Czech city of Karlovy Vary. Officers reportedly discovered four small containers of a white substance in his vehicle. The detention was announced via his own Telegram channel.

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, a senior figure of the Russian Orthodox Church and former head of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department of External Church Relations, has been detained by police in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The news was confirmed through a post on his own Telegram channel.

Czech police reportedly stopped Hilarion's vehicle and discovered what they described as «four small containers of a white substance». The nature of the substance has not yet been publicly confirmed by authorities, and no official charges have been announced at this stage.

Hilarion Alfeyev previously served as one of the most prominent international faces of the Russian Orthodox Church, representing the Moscow Patriarchate in ecumenical dialogues and diplomatic engagements with religious and political leaders across Europe. He was removed from that role in 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The detention of a figure of his profile in a European Union member state is likely to attract significant diplomatic attention, particularly given the broader context of strained relations between the EU and Russia. Czech authorities have not yet issued a formal statement explaining the circumstances of the stop or the identity of the substance found.