Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Metropolitan Onufriy, Metropolitan Antoniy and Rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Bishop Sylvestr became infected with the coronavirus and were secretly hospitalized, the Religious Truth online publication referring to the sources in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra said.

"According to our sources, Metropolitans Onufriy and Antoniy passed the test for coronavirus anonymously, and were hospitalized under a false name. They did this in order to protect the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine from accusations on the eve of Easter," the publication reports on Saturday morning.

"Most likely, Metropolitan Onufriy will not hold the Easter Liturgy, since for him the most important issue remains his own health, and not the reputation of the church," the source said.