Who and Why "Gathers Clouds" over Pochayiv: Chronology of Provocation

It’s no secret that today Pochayiv Lavra is the greatest Ukrainian Orthodox Church monastery in western . No wonder Lavra is also called the stronghold of Orthodoxy. Moreover, this people’s title of the monastery is historically justified, since Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra throughout its history has been repeatedly subjected to the attacks of non-Orthodox Christians.

Today, as well as hundreds of years ago, Pochayiv Lavra is again in sight of unscrupulous people who, though called Christians, in fact do not disdain any methods in achieving their goals. The only difference is that the earlier monastery suffered from attacks of Muslims and Uniates, now have to endure harassment from members of the UOC-KP.

"So you do not belong to anyone ..."

During the years if Ukrainian independency, the first and most vivid steps towards aggravation of the situation around Pochayiv Lavra were made in 2007, but then provocative actions were unsystematic and often not numerous. A few years later the local authorities and the clergy of the UOC-KP of Ternopil started the so-called public movement "Ukrainian shrines – to the Ukrainian people." The project was coordinated and managed by a Ternopil regional council deputy, Stepan Barna, who in 2015 was appointed the Head of Ternopil Regional State Administration by the President of Ukraine. The main "confessor" of the project was an odious Ternopil Archpriest Anatoly Zinkevych, the brother of two bishops of the UOC-KP, and Volyn Michael (Zinkevych) and Dnipropetrovsk and Kryvyi Rih Simeon (Zinkevych).

If Stepan Barna played a purely representative role of the administration in this situation, the Archpriest Anatoly Zinkevych was in charge of all organizational matters and, starting from the first moments of the fight against Pochayiv Lavra up to now, has been a key facilitator of provocation. Supported by his brother, a metropolitan in the neighboring Volyn region, the priest began to actively promote their ideas aimed at discrediting the monastery.

Archpriest Anatoly Zinkevych, using administrative resources, regularly gathered press conferences and public hearings, where he called for the "transfer of Pochayiv Lavra to people of ," spreading false and provocative information about the life and work of the monastery.

However, it is quite surprising to hear proposals, now regularly repeated by various public figures of Ternopil region, that Pochayiv Lavra should be made the historical-cultural reservation by creating the centre of ecumenism on its base. The reasons behind such ideas are obvious: in case of seizure of Pochayiv Lavra, it would be difficult to inhabit it, because the state of monasticism in the UOC-KP is on the brink of disaster. It’s understandable that to maintain as many square meters of space, enormous human and material resources are required, which the UOC-KP lacks. Thus, the UOC-KP Orthodox priest Anatoly Zinkevych would be glad to convert it into a "revolving door," only to "drive out" the monks of the UOC. We wonder if Mr. Archpriest has ever suggested his leaders turning St. Michael Cathedral in Kyiv into ecumenist centre.

"Titushky», separatists, Yanukovych and other unjustified hopes

After the events on the Maidan in 2014 provocations against Pochayiv Lavra activated with a bang. Representatives and supporters of the UOC KP, not hiding their hatred of the monks of the monastery, openly began aggressive action to intimidate the monks of Pochayiv Lavra and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In particular, in February 2014, activists of nationalist organizations of various kinds, beating their breasts, were absolutely convinced that Pochayiv Lavra was hiding the former president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, separatists and paid provocateurs to destabilize the situation in the region.

It is clear that they never found the above mentioned persons, no matter hard they had been trying to search for them. However, Ukrainian media in their best style spread rumors and ill fame of Pochayiv Lavra, saying that on its territory weapons were stored, and it sheltered foreign nationals, etc. All the false information circulated in those days, of course, wasn’t denied, and Lavra remained stained a "den of thieves" and general notoriety in the eyes of common Ukrainians.

Zinkevych Brothers and their "visiting guest performers"

Zinkevych brothers - Michael and Anatoly – should be paid special attention. Brethren likelihood between them is glaringly obvious. Both are odious clergymen of the UOC-KP,who constantly provoke inter-confessional conflicts in areas where they live. Michael manages Volyn Eparchy of the UOC-KP, and Anatoly is the Rector of Holy Trinity spiritual center in Ternopil.

What unites them in relation to Pochayiv Lavra? It’s frank hostility and joint provocations involving administrative and human resources. The proof of this is the so-called "action" under the walls of the monastery on February 25, 2014, when priests and followers of the UOC-KP in Ternopil and were brought by buses. Incidentally, Mikhail and Anatoly Zinkevych were born and grew up close to Pochayiv, and studied at the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary. 

Especially interesting is the personality of Metropolitan of Lutsk and Volyn Michael (Zinkevych), because in 1987-1988 he worked in Pochayiv Lavra. In 1988-1990's he served the sexton of the of Cherkasy UOC. From 1990 to 1994 he studied at the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary. When did time come to wake up his "patriotism"? What circumstances made him several years after the Ukrainian church dissent in 1992 so fiercely hate the Church, which gave him spiritual education and actually "ticket to the world of Orthodoxy"?

Epilogue ...

Based on all the above, it becomes clear that provocations against Pochayiv Lavra will continue. Regular "face-off" in the media, accusations of the monastery of nonexistent "sins", scandal talks on TV - all these are modern methods of anti-Church war, which are being actively used today. We should keep our mind open to all versions, so that it becomes easier to find the truth.

What else new ”theomachists” prepare for us is unknown. However, we see that their "truth" for broad-minded people is completely unconvincing.

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