Ternopil Regional Council member says how to take Pochaiv Lavra from UOC
The Pochaiv Dormition Lavra. Photo: zahid.espreso.tv
On January 3, 2023, the Ternopil Regional Council member said that the UOC has a lease for the Pochaiv Lavra until 2052, which can be cancelled, but the local authorities are not authorized to do so, reports zahid.espreso.tv.
The Ministry of Culture and the Kremenets-Pochaiv Historical and Architectural Reserve should undertake the "eviction" of the UOC, according to the head of the Office of Ethnopolitics, Freedom of Conscience and Digital Transformation of the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Ternopil regional state administration, Ihor Kulchytsky.
According to him, there are mechanisms for the termination of the agreement, it is not the level of Ternopil regional administration, which has only local attractions on its balance sheet.
"This is not the competence of the Ternopil RMA. The Lavra has been taken on the balance sheet of the Kremenets-Pochaiv Historical and Architectural Reserve of the Pochaiv Holy Dormition Lavra. This is the structure of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine," Kulchytsky explained.
He said that about 20 years ago, the authorities handed over the Lavra to the UOC monastery for free use, but the UOC did not receive ownership of the shrine. This is also confirmed by the decision of the Ministry of Justice in 2018 when a special commission abolished the illegal re-registration of the complex of structures of the Pochaiv Lavra (the Dormition Cathedral, the Trinity Cathedral, monastic cells, the bishop's house, the bell tower, the overgate building) to the religious organization "Pochaiv Holy Dormition Lavra".
"In fact, the property remains on the balance of the reserve, hence the Ministry of Culture. It is just in the use of a legal entity – the Monastery of the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra. There are always mechanisms for the termination of these contracts, any lawyer will tell you that. Specifically, only the Ministry of Culture and the Reserve, which holds the Lavra, can initiate any steps in this situation," said Ihor Kulchytsky.
On December 21, 2022, the Ternopil Regional Council demanded that the Pochaiv Lavra become state property.
As reported, the Culture Minister commented on the situation with the lease of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra's churches.
Read also
German McDonald's removes food from adverts until sunset over Ramadan
In Germany, during the Muslim fast, a fast-food chain hides food images in advertising during the day and shows them only in the evening.
Metropolitan Longin after hearings: Sessions conducted under the rule of law
After the Hertsa Сourt session, the bishop thanked the faithful for their support and called for forgiveness, prayer, and faithfulness to Christ.
Christian series "The Chosen" sets world record for being most widely-translated
The streaming series The Chosen , which explores the life of Jesus and his disciples, has broken its own Guinness World Record for being the most widely-translated series of all time.
US Secretary of Defense to the Army: God extends His arms over you
Pete Hegseth stated that American military personnel are "no longer defenders" but warriors "trained to destroy the enemy."
MP demands answers from Rivne authorities over UOC charity event
Bobrovska expressed outrage that city officials allowed the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC to hold a charity festival that raised money for children with cancer.
In U.S., Archbishop of Albania leads Divine Liturgy on Triumph of Orthodoxy
The Primate of the Albanian Church served in Massachusetts and called for visible unity among Orthodox jurisdictions.