Media: Pope ready to mediate talks on Kyiv Lavra
Pope Francis. Photo: ria.ru
Pope Francis is ready to mediate in the negotiations between the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the OCU on the situation with the expulsion of UOC monks from the Kyiv Caves Lavra, reports TASS.
The agency's interlocutor, chairman of the World Union of Old Believers Leonid Sevastyanov, said that the Pope said he was ready “to become a mediator so that the UOC and the OCU could discuss all personal issues".
"He could be a mediator, could help the UOC defend their position. ...> If there is a problem in establishing contacts, in communicating the position, he is ready to mediate," Sevastyanov added.
The head of the Union of Old Believers clarified that Pope Francis has no other legal mechanisms of help other than an appeal for peace and negotiations.
"He can only call for peace, dialogue and negotiations. In the Lavra case, he calls for respect for the sanctity of the shrines to stop the actions that are now taking place, but he has no such legal mechanisms to intervene in any specific way," Sevastyanov explained.
As reported, the OCU set up a structure called "Pochaiv Lavra".
Read also
Medieval сhurch сrumbles as Culture Ministry сites missing agreement
The 14th–15th-century St. Nicholas Church in Chesnyky, Ivano-Frankivsk Region, is falling into disrepair.
Poland сondemns Lviv Regional Council's decision to declare 2007 year of UPA
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says the Lviv Regional Council's decision to dedicate 2027 to the UPA and Roman Shukhevych is harmful to Ukraine.
OCU seeks court recognition of ownership of seized Cherkasy cathedral
The Cherkasy Regional Commercial Court will hear an OCU lawsuit seeking ownership of St. Michael's Cathedral, which was seized from UOC believers.
Lithuanian bishop: Ukraine is no model for believers' rights
Vicar of Vilnius Diocese voices concern over attempts to import Ukraine's religious conflict into Lithuania.
Hundreds of believers honor St. Alexis of Carpatho-Russia in Khust Eparchy
At the St. Nicholas Monastery in the village of Iza-Karputlash, Metropolitan Mark of Khust led a festive liturgy, concelebrated by six metropolitans, five archbishops and three bishops.
Court upholds UOC parish appeal in Voloshky over OCU switch dispute
The Northern Commercial Court of Appeal has upheld the appeal of the St. Nicholas parish of the UOC in the village of Voloshky, Volyn region, in a dispute over a transfer to the OCU.