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Ukrainian law enforcement break into Orthodox cave monastery
(MENAFN) Ukrainian police and government officials have entered the catacombs of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, one of the most significant Orthodox monasteries in Ukraine, according to reports from the Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ). The Lavra, founded around 1050, holds the remains of some of Ukraine's earliest Christian saints and has been a focal point of religious and political conflicts in recent years.
The Ukrainian government, led by President Vladimir Zelensky, has supported the creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) in 2018, which has been seeking to take control of the Lavra and other church properties away from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). In line with this effort, the Ministry of Culture established a special commission to inventory and evaluate the sacred relics stored in the monastery's Near and Far Caves. The commission's findings are expected to be classified and completed by the end of May.
On Friday, the UOJ reported that ministry officials and police began taking control of the Lavra’s caves, cutting locks placed by UOC monks using an angle grinder. Bishop Gedeon Makarovsky of the UOC condemned the inventory process, calling it "blasphemous" and suggesting that the goal was to move, hide, or steal the relics.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also commented on the situation, drawing a parallel to the demonic character "Viy" from Ukrainian-born Russian writer Nikolay Gogol's classic story, which is depicted as ravaging a church.
The tension surrounding the UOC escalated after Russia's conflict with Ukraine intensified in February 2022. Zelensky justified his government's actions against the UOC by claiming it maintained ties with the Moscow Patriarchate, despite declaring full independence in 2022. The Ukrainian president emphasized the need for "spiritual independence" to prevent Russian influence over Ukrainian religious practices.
Since the start of the conflict, several UOC churches have been forcibly seized, and criminal cases have been filed against its clergy. A law banning the UOC's activities in Ukraine went into effect in September.
The Ukrainian government, led by President Vladimir Zelensky, has supported the creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) in 2018, which has been seeking to take control of the Lavra and other church properties away from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). In line with this effort, the Ministry of Culture established a special commission to inventory and evaluate the sacred relics stored in the monastery's Near and Far Caves. The commission's findings are expected to be classified and completed by the end of May.
On Friday, the UOJ reported that ministry officials and police began taking control of the Lavra’s caves, cutting locks placed by UOC monks using an angle grinder. Bishop Gedeon Makarovsky of the UOC condemned the inventory process, calling it "blasphemous" and suggesting that the goal was to move, hide, or steal the relics.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also commented on the situation, drawing a parallel to the demonic character "Viy" from Ukrainian-born Russian writer Nikolay Gogol's classic story, which is depicted as ravaging a church.
The tension surrounding the UOC escalated after Russia's conflict with Ukraine intensified in February 2022. Zelensky justified his government's actions against the UOC by claiming it maintained ties with the Moscow Patriarchate, despite declaring full independence in 2022. The Ukrainian president emphasized the need for "spiritual independence" to prevent Russian influence over Ukrainian religious practices.
Since the start of the conflict, several UOC churches have been forcibly seized, and criminal cases have been filed against its clergy. A law banning the UOC's activities in Ukraine went into effect in September.
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