OCU in the Lavra: notes in the margins

Epifaniy’s "media service" in the Lavra. Photo: UOJ

On 1 January 2023, the authorities banned the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its parishioners from accessing the upper temples of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The head of the OCU, Epifaniy, has been serving there since 7 January. They also received a one-time permission to serve on the feast of Theophany on January 19.

Many have noticed a number of strange things during these "services" at the Dormition Cathedral. Although when you come into someone else's house and start to take over there, it is not just an oddity, but rather a cynical impudence and impertinence. Let’s have a closer look at the "worship" itself in the temple with the eyes of an ordinary believer. Strange as it may seem, this is aided by “Radio Liberty” and the television channel “Priamyi”, which at Christmas and Theophany held a large-scale broadcast with commentary by journalists and all kinds of "experts". Looking ahead, we should note that the OCU service in the Lavra was presented exclusively as a public holiday and historical event. Of course, no one asked the opinion of those who were expelled from the church – the current standards of Ukrainian journalism do not suggest this.

There were a huge number of journalists and cameras, and the service itself was more like a theatrical performance. In order to enter the territory of the Upper Lavra, one had to go through a thorough check. The police checked documents, made people pass through a metal frame, and examined the passers-by with some special devices. Water and drinks were not allowed in.

"Let's pray to our Ukraine"

Before analysing what is happening inside the temple, let's look at some of the responses from people who came to the "service". It turned out that many interviewees came to the Lavra for the first time. This may have been the first time they had ever entered a church. Interestingly, there were also some Kyiv residents who had come to the Dormition Cathedral for the first time in their lives.

Some of the answers from the interviewees are noteworthy. "This is a great day for all of us. You all understand very well". The journalist asked to explain in more detail and got the following answer: "What else can I say? Glory to Ukraine!"

People were also asked about the Christmas date: December 25th or January 7th? The reporters received very interesting answers, such as: "I celebrate Christmas when Ukrainian people celebrate it. But 7 or 25... Both dates are not bad for us.” Following this logic, if Ukrainian people stopped celebrating Christmas altogether, this person would agree.

The next remarks from the new "parishioners" of the Lavra were no less interesting: "We hope that from today a free Ukraine will begin. And we will only pray to our Ukraine". Of course, this is a single response but quite revealing. Needless to say, believing people do not pray to the country or the president; prayer is a talk with God.

Expulsion of believers as "restoration of justice"

The commentator starts the broadcast and immediately declares that the service of the OCU in the Lavra is a "historical event" and "restoration of justice". And describing the arrangement of the Dormition Cathedral, he says: "How beautifully and majestically built. It is very impressive." Yes, formally the state built the Dormition Cathedral (as well as St. Michael’s Cathedral). But we cannot but recall the endeavours of the brethren of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and Metropolitan Pavel to restore the Dormition and Refectory temples. And the OCU received the cathedral in finished form, ennobled and restored.

From a purely moral point of view, how fair is it? Can we imagine that the hierarchs of the UOC voiced a claim, for example, to St. Michael's Cathedral? Agree that this is unbelievable.

The service was not without the comments of "experts". For example, Iryna Bohachevska said: "We see the attitude of society. The church is for believers, not believers for the church. Here it seems as if it is a reference to the evangelical "the Sabbath is for man, not man for the Sabbath". But in fact, the meaning of the expert’s words is closer to the proletarian "we cannot wait for grace from nature, it is our task to take it".

After all, it turns out that on December 31, 2022, when hundreds (perhaps, thousands) of UOC believers in the Refectory Church said farewell to their relic with tears in their eyes, the society was not moved by it. However, when the staged services of the OCU at the Dormition Cathedral on January 7 and 19 were held with the people brought from the regions, cameras and journalists, it was the "attitude of society". It turns out that when a temple is taken away from one Ukrainian and given to another, it is considered to be an outstanding event. It's just great democracy and equality of rights.

When an MP appears at the Lavra for the first time after school

Epifaniy's services in the Lavra were attended by all the political elite of Ukraine except for the President: Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal, Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, Minister of Culture Tkachenko, deputy head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko and many others. There were also VR members, with some appearing at the Lavra for the first time at all, such as "Servants of the People" deputy Eugenia Kravchuk. She said that she has only been here on school excursions and "it is clear that this will be a regular thing and that the Ukrainian Church will be Ukrainian”.

Nikita Poturaev also commented on the TV broadcast and said that this is "the beginning of establishing traditions. And this is the main thing”. What kind of traditions – church raiding, taking away people's churches? In general, there is an impression that representatives of the authorities came to the monastery "for work”. In any case, none of them had previously been seen attending services.

A woman lost at the Royal Gate

Literally from the first minutes of the "service" there were many improper moments. There was an impression that this service was for journalists. There were an uncountable number of cameras. They were literally everywhere, including the one on the lectern near the iconostasis. It was obvious that many people simply did not understand how to behave. Some women stand at the Royal Gate and just take photos. People who stand closer to the iconostasis do not understand when to make the sign of the cross.

Before Communion and after Epifaniy’s' sermon, the pulpit and the soleas turned into a concert platform with violins and carolers.

It was striking how the OCU "bishop" was tensely reciting a prayer from the prayer book before Communion. Every layman who regularly takes communion knows this prayer by heart, and the priest knows it all the more. And here is a "bishop". There's a reason for the inverted commas.

When no service is held in the temple

During the Apostle reading, one can see that the "deacon" has steam coming out of his mouth. It should be recalled that on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the temperature was above zero. If one asks ordinary laymen, parishioners of the Lavra, they will say that they have never seen anything like this. Yes, the heating in the Dormition Church was rarely turned on, but regular services kept the temperature stable. But when the church stands empty, cold settles there, which, of course, affects the icons and paintings of the temple. This is the result of the policy of the authorities, which expelled the UOC from the cathedral.

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The first services of the OCU in the Lavra featured extras brought, a huge number of journalists with cameras, people who did not know how and when to cross themselves, folk music groups at the Royal Gate, and all this under the favourable gaze of the political elite.

It was noticeable that Epifaniy tried to create an impression as if they were no worse, and maybe even better than the "Moscow Church".

All this was reminiscent of proletarians, who had robbed a noble house, dressed up in noble clothes and tried to behave like noblemen. This was accompanied by enthusiastic claims of "objective" journalists about the "restoration of justice".

Of course, the authorities and the media will do their best to persuade us that the Dumenko services at the Lavra are a historical event. But they rather have all the hallmarks of a banal "den of thieves".

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