Ministry of Culture: OCU services in Lavra's Caves should be UNESCO heritage

Kotliarevska with Dumenko and his colleagues in the Far Caves. Photo: Kotliarevska's Facebook

Acting Director General of the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" Svitlana Kotliarevska announced plans to submit to UNESCO the "fact of veneration of the relics of the Venerable Fathers in the caves" as a unique component of intangible cultural heritage.

Commenting on Dumenko's "service" in the Far Caves, Kotliarevska called it a "historic event": "For the first time in Ukrainian language, a Ukrainian service, in the Ukrainian Lavra, in the Ukrainian caves."

"Today our scientists are working on forming the necessary list of materials and within the next year preparing to submit to UNESCO the fact of veneration of the saints' relics in the caves. This is truly a unique component of intangible cultural heritage," said Kotliarevska.

According to her, "the tradition of venerating the relics of the Venerable is unique to the world, as is the tradition of conducting services in the caves."

At the same time, it can be assumed that the official was specifically referring to the "services" of the OCU, since, commenting on the activities in the Lower Lavra of the UOC, the official assured that "everything there worked according to the ideology of our enemy."

Kotliarevska emphasized special relations with the leadership of the OCU. "Cooperation with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is an integral part of the work on the caves, moreover, an extremely important part," she stated.

"I am deeply grateful to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and highly appreciate the great assistance of His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy and Bishop Avraamiy, from whom I personally receive support and spiritual advice, as managing the Reserve is quite a responsible process that truly requires spiritual guidance," Kotliarevska admitted.

According to her, the Reserve administration works with the OCU "in full synergy", especially in matters of preserving the saints' relics. "Transparency and trust are the foundation of such synergy for me, and I do everything necessary for this. I see the same desire from the OCU," she stressed.

Kotliarevska noted that the Reserve and the OCU have "common goals and aspirations".

It should be noted that the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that on August 19, photos appeared online showing a reserve employee performing unclear manipulations with the relics.

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