Ministry of Culture reveals how many monks still reside in the Lavra

Lower Lavra. Photo: Telegram channel “Lavra Now”

Maksym Ostapenko, Director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, spoke to RBK-Ukraine about the current situation of the UOC monks residing on the monastery grounds.

Although no organization called the “Moscow Patriarchate” is registered in Ukraine, the official repeatedly refers to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) exclusively by that label in his interview.

“As of today, pending a court decision, around 140 representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate community remain in the Lower Lavra territory. They continue to live there. At present, the reserve, the monastery, and all of Ukrainian society await the court’s decision, which will determine the legality of the use of state-owned buildings,” Ostapenko stated.

He clarified that while the monks are free to move about the Lavra grounds, there is currently no public access to the Lower Lavra “due to the ongoing court proceedings.” He did not explain how this legal process justifies the restriction of access for parishioners.

Ostapenko also complained that some monks are officially registered at the Lavra: “The registration service somehow managed to register about 70 monks at state-owned buildings, which were only to be used – not privately owned. Now they claim the Lavra belongs to them as private housing, and that’s one of the reasons the legal proceedings are dragging on.”

The official expressed hope that some of the monks “belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate” who are Ukrainian citizens and “pro-Ukrainian in their stance” will serve the Lavra’s sacred heritage and the Ukrainian people. He added, “I am confident that in time, the veil of Russian propaganda and influence will fall.”

Ostapenko did not clarify whether he was suggesting the monks join the OCU or something else.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Ostapenko had claimed the Lavra’s “imperial-style frescoes were preparations for occupation.”

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