The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) called on believers to defend the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra by all legal means. Appeal “to all faithful children” of the Church and people of Ukraine published on the UOC website. Previously, the Ukrainian authorities had ordered the monks to leave the Lavra until March 29.
The UOC said the entire Orthodox world was shaken by news of the plans to evict the monks from Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, whom they “literally raised from the ruins in 35 years from the date of resumption of the activities of this former monastery”. .”
“Monks, monks and novices are driven from their homes, hiding behind wacky, non-existent arguments with no real basis,” noted the UOC.
The appeal also says large-scale pressure on UOC believers is increasing, so the church is issuing a “call to them to a firm and unwavering stand in the faith.”
The UOC notes that during the period of hostilities it engages in voluntary activities, gives refuge to immigrants, and thousands of its followers fight at the front, including parishioners of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. In response, the authorities “despise and plunder the shrines”, attempt to “completely intimidate” the Orthodox, “persuade them to make some sort of ‘compromise’ and, as a result, simply destroy them,” the statement said.
The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is “the pearl of Ukraine and the spiritual outpost of prayer for the land and people of Ukraine and for the whole Orthodox world,” the UOC stressed. The clergy also urged “everyone to be strengthened in the faith, to intensify their prayers and to protect by all legal means our most cherished sanctuary”.
The conflict around the Laura
The Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, founded in 1051, is divided into two parts – the Upper Lavra and the Lower Lavra. The upper part belongs to the historical and cultural reserve. The lower part, where the monastery and the caves with relics are located, is administered by the UOC-MP, which the Ukrainian authorities accuse of being pro-Russian.
In November 2022, a series of searches took place in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and some other UOC objects. Security forces said they seized “pro-Russian literature” and large sums of money.
On March 10, 2023, the church announced that it had received a letter from the administration of the reserve on the letterhead of the Ministry of Culture. The letter stated that the monks must leave the Lavra by March 29, as violations had been revealed in the activities of the monastery and the rental agreement with it would be terminated.
Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko said that after the monks leave Lavra there will be an audit of “museum exhibits”, including relics of saints. He also said that the authorities have started the process of depriving the UOC of the right to use the Pochaev Lavra in the Ternopil region.
At the same time, according to Tkachenko, monks can stay in the Lavra if they are transferred to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). It was created at the end of 2018 under the chairmanship of Petro Poroshenko. The OCU included representatives of non-canonical Ukrainian churches. In 2019, the OCU received a tomos of autocephaly from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
