UOC lawyers send a request to MinCulture on sacrilege over saints' relics
The reliquaries with the Venerable Fathers of the Caves are piled together in one of the rooms under the stairs. Photo: TG channel "Odigitria"
Lawyer requests have been submitted to the Ministry of Culture and the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" regarding the sacrilegious manipulations with the holy relics of the Kyiv Caves saints. This was reported on August 21, 2025, by the monastery's lawyer, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, on his Telegram channel.
"Photos have been posted on the Internet showing the process of opening the reliquaries with the relics of the Venerable Fathers and their transfer from the Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra to storage facilities. These disrespectful and sacrilegious actions are taking place with the involvement of employees of the National Reserve 'Kyiv Pechersk Lavra,'” the request states.
According to the priest, the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and the National Reserve is asked to provide information on the legal grounds for such actions with the relics of the holy servants of God, as well as to indicate who exactly made the decision to open, move, redress, or otherwise tamper with them.
"Given the special spiritual value of the holy relics for millions of believers, such actions, carried out without the participation of the clergy and in violation of the centuries-old canons of the Orthodox Church, are regarded as a gross insult to religious feelings and a blatant desecration of the shrines," adds the UOC lawyer.
Archpriest Nikita Chekman emphasized that officials are expected to promptly provide official responses. "In case of ignoring the request or refusing to provide information, measures provided by law will be taken," concludes the lawyer.
Earlier, the Exarch of the Jerusalem Patriarchate in Cyprus, Metropolitan Timotheos of Vostra, in an exclusive comment to the UOJ stated that the manipulations of the Lavra Reserve staff with the relics of the Kyiv Caves saints are sacrilege comparable to the crimes of the godless Bolshevik regime.
Read also
Bill banning LGBT and childfree propaganda adopted in Belarus
A bill in the Belarusian parliament provides for administrative liability for propaganda of homosexuality and childlessness.
In women's monastery of Holovchyntsi village, monastic tonsure performed
In the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy, two nuns were tonsured into the lesser schema.
Finnish MP urges EU to repeal law banning criticism of LGBT
Päivi Räsänen stated that the "hate speech" law in Europe serves as a means for censorship.
Displaced children from Dnipro baptized at orphanage in Mukachevo
A priest of the Mukachevo Eparchy of the UOC performed the baptism of children from the "Barvinok" orphanage.
During Holy Week, Catholics celebrate Mass at Holy Sepulchre without believers
The RCC bishop, who was previously barred by police from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, was nevertheless allowed to conduct a service there on Thursday.
UGCC calls murder of TRC employee "particularly grave sin"
UGCC cleric Yustin Boyko emphasized that hatred against TRC employees is being artificially incited on social media.