Kiev-Pechersk Lavra’s abbot: the Monastery should not be a political tool

Metropolitan Pavel, Abbot of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra

The monastery should remain a monastery, and not be a political tool. The abbot of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl Pavel spoke about this in a video published by a group on the Facebook Kiev-Orthodoxy.

“The government, if it is from God, will try to preserve cultural monuments that remind of past events. If there are no monuments, we will not be able to see the wisdom of this or that nation,” noted Vladyka Pavel.

Metropolitan Pavel also urged to refrain from intrigues and lies, as well as not to label the believers.

“He who sows hostility is not from God. You can speak out loudly that someone is offending someone else, but let everyone look at their lifestyle. <...> Better test yourself for the commandments,” concluded the hierarch.

We recall that on November 30, SBU officers conducted searches in the house belonging to the abbot of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl, and in a subsidiary farm of the monastery. Investigative actions took place within the framework of the criminal case under the article “Violation of equality of citizens depending on race, nationality, religious beliefs, inciting interfaith hostility”. During the searches, a brochure and the Metropolitan’s passport were seized. Vladyka Pavel himself regarded such actions as political pressure on him.

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