Montenegrin priest: Events in the Lavra are reminiscent of Bolshevik crimes

Archpriest Slobodan Zeković. Photo: website of the Church of St. Vladimir in Bar

The rector of the Cathedral of St. John Vladimir in Bar and archpriest-stavrophor, dean of Bar, Slobodan Zeković, gave a statement to the Serbian edition of the UOJ regarding the actions of the Ukrainian authorities with the relics in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

The Montenegrin priest expressed deep concern over the events taking place in the Ukrainian holy site, drawing parallels with the God-fighting policies of the Soviet period.

“This terribly reminds us of the insane deeds of the Bolsheviks, who desecrated the relics of saints in the same way. I sincerely hope it will not come to such desecration as in the USSR,” said Fr. Slobodan.

As previously reported by the UOJ, staff of the Lavra museum complex have been carrying out manipulations with the relics of saints, causing serious concern in the Orthodox world.

The Exarch of the Jerusalem Patriarchate in Cyprus, Metropolitan Timotheos of Vostra, stated in an exclusive comment to the UOJ that these manipulations with the relics of the Venerable Fathers of the Caves amount to sacrilege comparable to the crimes of the godless Bolshevik regime.

Fr. Shalva Kekelia, rector of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Tbilisi, also stressed that the desecration of relics is forgiven to no one.

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