Abbot: The brethren will not leave the Lavra of their own free will

Abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel. Photo: lavra.ua

The residents of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra will not leave the monastery of their own free will, but only if they are "killed", said the rector of the Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshhorod and Chornobyl in an interview with the UOJ.

The hierarch noted that the monks who came to the monastery in 1988 still remained in the Lavra. According to the bishop, they found the ruins left after the Soviet regime and managed to restore the sanctuary in subsequent years.

At the same time, Metropolitan Pavel expressed the hope that the authorities would not allow the seizure of the monastery by force. However, if this happens, the whole world will know what is happening around the Lavra, the bishop added.

“These are the grandchildren of the 'great leaders': Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, Khrushchev. We will stand to the last, but if we are thrown out, let the whole world watch it. Every day we will talk about what is happening around the monastery,” he said. <…> People, our parishioners, will defend our Lavra. I do not call them, but they come by themselves. Lavra is our shrine, our home, we will not leave it of our own free will.”

As reported by the UOJ, the MP from the Servant of the People said that the security forces would be involved in the liberation of the Lavra from the UOC.

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