“Ancient Kyiv” head complains OCU barred him from capital church

Roman Malenkov. Photo: Malenkov’s Facebook page

Roman Malenkov, head of the “Ancient Kyiv” reserve, complained that OCU representatives refused to allow him to inspect the historic section of the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God Pyrohoshcha in Kyiv. He wrote about the incident on his Facebook page ahead of the planned inspection.

Malenkov stressed that the church is state-owned and merely leased by the OCU. Nevertheless, he said, Dumenko’s organization refuses to sign a heritage protection agreement and uses the museum section of the church as an office and storage space.

He said the church’s lower level contains the foundations of a 12th-century church, as well as the vault of a large hot-air furnace that once heated the church’s warm section. The reserve administration proposed creating a museum area there with informational displays and guided tours, but the rector categorically refused.

Although the OCU cleric was given a letter notifying him of the planned inspection, he said he would not be there and that reserve representatives would not be allowed into the church in his absence.

Malenkov complained that the “priest” refused to hear anything about inspections and even called the reserve director a “Bolshevik,” which the official said upset him greatly.

“It is very upsetting that representatives of our own OCU behave this way,” Malenkov complained.

As previously reported by the UOJ, Malenkov announced the “disappearance” of UOC churches in Kyiv’s Podil district.

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