Dozens of monks continue to refuse to leave the famous Kiev Pechersk Lavra. On Tuesday, the administration of the state museum wanted to seal and remove five buildings from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The argument: pro-Russian forces are at work in the church.
The buildings should be returned to the state, the head of the museum administration, Maksim Ostapenko, said on Tuesday. The museum board wanted to seal five buildings that day, but the monks refused to leave the cave monastery. Mentally and religiously, officials of the authorities denied access, local media reported.
The museum board is now planning legal action. In March, the Ukrainian government declared the church’s usage contract null and void. She sees Russian troops at work in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It was only announced on Monday that a novice was sentenced to five years in prison for alleged collaboration with Russia. However, the church leadership itself supported the Ukrainian army and strongly condemned the war. In May 2022, she also renounced the Moscow Orthodox Patriarchate.
Building from the 11th century
The Ukrainian leadership supports another Orthodox Church, which was only established in 2018. So far, the stricken church has left the main cathedral and one other church. It still uses dozens of monastic buildings from the 11th century, including churches. The chief holds regular services in the cave monastery. About 200 monks live in the building that the state donated to the church in 1988. It is considered the cradle of East Slavic Orthodoxy and a symbol of Kiev.
Source: Krone
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