The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) filed a lawsuit challenging the authorities’ request to leave Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. This was stated in a video message by UOC Metropolitan Pavel, who published telegram channel “Orthodox Ukraine”. Previously, the Ukrainian authorities had demanded that the UOC monks leave the Lavra until March 29.
According to Pavel, the lawsuit was filed on March 23, when three judges have already recused themselves. According to the Metropolitan, this indicates that the judges are under pressure.
“I once again call on those in power to stop the pressure on the judges, to stop the pressure on the Lavra, and I want to say that we will not compromise on faith, we will stand until the end. The law is on our side,” he said.
Pavel stressed that the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and the management of the museum, located in the Lavra, do not have the right to expel the monks from the temple without a court decision. “When there is a court decision (a certain time must pass), then the executive power must be (involved), and not the director of the museum or the minister of culture must expel us”, underlined the metropolitan.
How clarified lawyer of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, he filed a complaint with the Kiev Economic Court on the inadmissibility of the termination of the UOC’s rental agreement with the Lavra. The lawyer noted that the National Cultural Reserve (also occupies part of the Lavra), which decided to terminate the lease agreement between the UOC and the Lavra due to “violation of the terms of the agreement”, did not explain what those violations were.
“The reserve accuses the monastery of violating the terms of the agreement, but at the same time deprives even the possibility of officially providing its explanations on this subject. It is this injustice that served as the basis for the request for judicial protection,” the archpriest added.
In this context, on March 29, the day when the monks of the UOC must leave the Lavra, believers began to gather in the temple for worship, write Ukrainian media. By data Ukrainian Orthodox Church, several thousand people came to pray there.
Judging from the contents of the letter the UOC received from the National Reserve, the expulsion of the monks from the temple is set to begin the following day, March 30.
Conflict of the UOC with the Ukrainian authorities over the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
The Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, founded in 1051, is divided into two parts – the Upper Lavra and the Lower Lavra. The lower part, where the monastery and the caves with relics are located, is under the jurisdiction of the UOC, while the upper part is considered the National Historical and Cultural Reserve and is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian authorities began to demand that UOC monks leave the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra in the context of the conflict with the UOC, which broke out in October 2022. Then the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) began conducting searches in church temples, and official Kiev accused its priests of collaboration with Russia and a pro-Russian stance.
Subsequently, the Ukrainian authorities informed the Primate of the UOC, Metropolitan Onufry, that from January 2023 the term of the lease for the Main Temple of the Lavra, the Cathedral of the Assumption and the Church of the refectory, would end. In March 2023, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Museum-Reserve announced the termination of the agreement with the UOC on the use of the Lower Lavra, as violations were revealed in the activities of the monastery. The clergy was ordered to leave the monastery and the residence of the UOC primate until March 29.
Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko said that after the monks leave the lavra there will be an audit of “museum exhibits”, including relics of saints. At the same time, he pointed out that the monks could stay in the Lavra if they were transferred to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). Previously, the rector of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel, said the monks “do not intend to be expelled and will not be.” The UOC also urged believers to defend Kiev-Pechersk Lavra by all legal means.
On March 28, in Ivano-Frankivsk, about two hundred masked and camouflaged people also forcibly seized the last UOC church in the area, using tear gas against priests and parishioners. As reported in the Chernivtsi-Bukovina diocese, OCU supporters attacked the church. At the same time, the police did not interfere with the actions of the attackers, the diocese noted.
