OCU "hierarch": Until the political will changes, we will not get Pochaiv

Nestor Pysyk. Photo: Hromadske

OCU "Metropolitan" Nestor Pysyk, whom Dumenko appointed "abbot" of the Pochaev Lavra in March 2023, stated that he pessimistically assesses the possibility of his structure entering the monastery, reports hromadske.

Responding to the question of whether he has realistic expectations from the DESS directive, the OCU "hierarch" said that a quick result should not be expected.

"I think everything will get bogged down in the courts, somewhere at some level of our judicial system it will be blocked, and the decision will either be overturned, or sent back for a new review, or blocked," he said.

According to him, "I do not see any major changes – in practical terms, so that real processes actually get underway – in the near future."

"Until the political will in the country changes or something shifts in the judicial system, there will be no movement here," Pysyk complained.

At the same time, he admitted that his own title of "abbot" of the Pochaiv Lavra is currently "simply a declaration of intent," and that believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will defend the monastery.

"The Moscow Patriarchate will fight to the very end and use every means at its disposal to defend its position," said the OCU representative, adding that "whoever controls the Pochaiv Lavra controls all of western Ukraine."

Let us recall that the OCU created a structure called "Pochaiv Monastery," appointing Pysyk as its head.

As the UOJ reported, on July 27, 2026, DESS issued the Pochaiv Lavra an order to confirm within 30 days that it has severed ties with the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC.

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