Dumenko hands out roses to women in the Refectory Church of Kyiv Lavra
"Service" of the OCU in the Refectory Church of the Lavra. Photo: Save Lavra Tg channel
On March 16, 2025, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Epifaniy Dumenko, held a “service” in the Refectory (Trapezny) Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, according to the Save Lavra Telegram channel.
"On this great feast of the Lavra, the Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of the Pechersk Lavra, only a few dozen people – around 50–70 – gathered in the large Refectory Church, which is closed off to the Lavra’s monastics and the parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) for their own services," the channel’s authors wrote. They also noted that after the event, people were “taken away by buses, which had apparently brought them there in the first place.”
One of the buses belonged to the charitable foundation Brotherhood of Kind Hearts.
At the same time, there were many cameras and several vehicles equipped for live broadcasts. At the end of the “service,” Dumenko traditionally handed out roses to women.
"Epifaniy and his entourage remained only in the Refectory Church. The Dormition Cathedral was empty. As far as we could tell, no Liturgy took place there today," the channel reported.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote about the OCU’s explanation regarding the fall of a cross in the Lavra.
Read also
Metropolitan Victor offers condolences to families of shelling victims
The ruling hierarch of the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the Russian attack on Khmelnytskyi on October 19.
Pope urges Zelensky to ensure safe evacuation from Oleshky
During a phone call, the pontiff raised concerns about the dire situation in the Kherson region town and discussed humanitarian aid for its residents.
Kharkiv Metropolitan offers condolences to victims of Nova Vodolaha strike
Metropolitan Onuphry expressed condolences to the families of those killed in a Russian strike on Nova Vodolaha in the Kharkiv region.
Metropolitan of Berlin blesses aid fundraiser for UOC convent in Donbas
An Orthodox community in Cologne has called on the faithful to help nuns facing severe hardship due to the fighting.
Dumenko: Mazepa returned to Lavra thanks to Zelensky
The OCU head said the installation of a bust of Hetman Ivan Mazepa at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was made possible by Zelensky and the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory.
Patriarch Bartholomew hits back at petition against his Bulgaria visit
The Phanar head called opponents of his visit "zealots" with "zeal not according to knowledge" and said they would not succeed in disrupting his trip to Bulgaria.