Lavra brethren file a statement with SBI against Minister of Culture
Mykola Tochitsky. Photo: the Ministry of Culture website
On May 26, 2025, the General Investigation Bureau of Kyiv received a statement from the brethren of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra regarding a criminal offense committed by the Minister of Culture, Mykola Tochitsky, reported the monastery's lawyer, Archpriest Nikita Chekman.
The statement indicates that, according to the claim, Tochitsky committed an offense under Part 2 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely incitement of religious hatred committed by an official. The brethren assert that the minister committed the offense in a comment on his order dismissing Maksym Ostapenko from the position of General Director of the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra".
As reported, Tochitsky stated that he dismissed Ostapenko due to insufficient efforts in the Lavra against the UOC. In doing so, he used offensive language. In particular, speaking about the monks of the UOC, he wrote that "there should be no Moscow spirit in the Lavra," that "Moscow priests have desecrated the Lavra," and that the country does not have time to wait for the "uncontrolled presence of Moscow monks and further destruction of monuments" to end.
Read also
MP: Rada to introduce Day of Old Rus fleet’s campaign against Constantinople
Maksym Buzhanskyi announced the preparation of a new list of state and "religious" holidays.
In Israel, synagogues and mosques closed due to military conflict
Israeli authorities have banned mass gatherings, including services during Ramadan and before Purim.
Romanian Patriarchate calls for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine
The Romanian Orthodox Church has stated the need for urgent solutions to restore peace and called for prayer for those in the world's military conflict zones.
Kyiv City Council deputy: We aim to ensure no UOC communities in Kyiv region
Tytykalo stated that the deputies set the task of "cleansing the Kyiv region of the UOC".
395 UOC churches damaged by shelling since start of war – report
An updated report on damaged religious sites over four years of war in Ukraine includes data on 395 affected UOC churches, as well as hundreds of destroyed or damaged facilities belonging to other denominations.
GOC opens fundraising drive for Sinai Monastery and Holy Sepulchre Church
The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece has called on Greece’s metropolises and parishes to collect donations to support the ancient shrines on Sinai and in Jerusalem.