OCU trying to fill Kyiv Caves Lavra with monks from other regions – media

“OCU’s Lavra abbot” Avraamiy Lotysh. Photo: Reserve’s Facebook page

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) is facing serious difficulties staffing the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and is trying to recruit monks from other regions of the country, the Ukrainian outlet Glavcom reports.

According to the publication, the OCU is dealing with a severe personnel shortage needed to ensure the full functioning of Ukraine’s largest Orthodox complex. Since the Lavra came under OCU control in 2023, the situation with staffing the monastery with monks has remained critical.

“The OCU is even inviting monks from other regions to come to the Lavra, but they are not very willing to accept such offers,” the report says.

The media note that currently only a small group of OCU monks is present in the Lavra, led by “the abbot of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Avraamiy.”

At present, the OCU “holds its services in the Dormition Cathedral and the Refectory Church in the Upper Lavra, and also controls several sites in the Lower Lavra that were returned to the reserve – the 70th and 49th buildings and the ‘Life-Giving Spring’ church.”

Meanwhile, UOC monks continue to reside in the Lower Lavra. According to reports, this is a source of “great concern” for the OCU.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to journalists, only employees of the reserve can serve as OCU monks in the Lavra.

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