Reserve intends to block monks' access to Lavra, says lawyer

The Lower Lavra. Photo: TG channel "Lavra Now"

The lawyer of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, reported on the plans of the new management of the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" to restrict the brethren's access to the premises of the Lower Lavra.

According to him, alarming information is coming in that starting tomorrow (May 29, 2025), the new management of the Reserve plans to resort to illegal actions aimed at restricting the monks' access to the monastery's territory.

The lawyer emphasizes that as of today, there is no court decision that has come into legal force and would allow such actions. Legal proceedings on this issue are still ongoing.

"Every unlawful interference in the life of the monastery by officials of the Reserve or the Ministry of Culture will receive a proper legal assessment, and it will not be possible to avoid responsibility," stated Archpriest Nikita Chekman.

He called on all believers for intensified prayer and requests prayerful appeals to the Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos, and all the saints of Kyiv-Pechersk for the protection of the holy monastery.

As reported, on the eve of May 27, Dumenko discussed "cleansing" the monastery from the UOC with the new head of the Lavra Reserve, Svitlana Kotliarevska. Dumenko demanded that she open the Lavra Caves for the OCU and also "stop the groundless presence of representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate's jurisdiction in the Reserve's buildings".

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the Ministry of Culture dismissed the Reserve's director Maksym Ostapenko, accusing him of insufficient struggle with the UOC monks in the Lavra.

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