Home page News
Statement of Synodal Department for Church’s …

Statement of Synodal Department for Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media on persecutions against the monastic community of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra

DECR Communication Service, 06.07.2023. 

On July 6, a statement was published by the Synodal Department for the Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media.

On June 30, 2023, the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and Information Policy sent to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra a letter notifying that the national preserve ‘Kiev Pechersk Lavra’ adopted a decision “on the cessation of the monastery monks’ Access” to five buildings in the Lavra” *Nos 45, 54, 69, 71). The address also contains a demand that these facilities should be vacated and their keys should be handed over to the preserve. According to the text, “in case of the monastery’s refusal to hand over the keys from the buildings (facilities)… the locks will be replaced and the buildings (facilities) will be sealed up”. From the 4th of July, the Ukrainian authorities have attempted to implement the above-mentioned lawless decisions, which are peacefully opposed by the faithful assembling in the Lavra, only to be subjected to unjustified violence.

In connection with the foregoing, the Moscow Patriarchate Synodal Department for the Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media deems it necessary to state the following:

The Ukrainian authorities including the Ministry of Culture continue the persecution against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as a whole and the brethren of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra in particular, rudely trumping upon the generally recognized rights of believers and religious organizations.

Guided by exceptionally political motives and under a false pretence the Ukrainian authorities have actually proceeded to the liquidation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which presumes that it will be deprived of its most venerated shrines among which is the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

The prosecutions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have as its final goal to rewrite the history of the Ukrainian people, to deprive Ukrainian people of their identity connected with the Vladimir Baptism, one for all the peoples of historical Rus’. The Ukraine authorities regard the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as an enemy while giving support to a schismatic community created by the state and encouraged to use violence.

The decision of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture to end the access of monks to several facilities of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra is another act of persecution against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which can be compared to the antireligious repressions in the period from the 1920s to the 1930s of the 20th century.

The glaring arbitrary rule and terror with regard to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are carried out with the connivance of international human rights organizations who actually ignore the obvious violations of the religious rights of millions of believers. Amidst the pressure on the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, there appear reports about the plans to transfer abroad the monastery’s venerated shrines.

The Russian Orthodox Church for another time appeals to the international community to pay attention to the persecutions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church; they should be stopped immediately. We call to hold an independent international investigation in view of the continued destruction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

 

Share:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill speaks on the phone with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

25.02.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the Ambassador of Pakistan to Russia

06.02.2025

Divine Liturgy celebrated at Christ the Saviour Cathedral on the occasion of the sixteenth anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill

01.02.2025

Condolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the passing of the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church

25.01.2025

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrated Great Vespers at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

07.01.2025

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Primate of the Russian Church celebrated the Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

07.01.2025

Christmas Message by His Holiness Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia

06.01.2025

A Joint Session of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Took Place

26.12.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presided over the joint session of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council

26.12.2024

Primate of the Russian Church consecrates Church of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena in Mitino, Moscow.

22.12.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: Violations of the rights of the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have been noted in reports by international human rights organizations.

20.12.2024

Phone conversation took place between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch

12.12.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expressed sympathy and full support to the Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church

12.12.2024

The Primate of the Russian Church is fervently praying for the Patriarch, bishops, clergy, and flock of the Antiochian Church

12.12.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the Chairman of the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan

22.11.2024

Meeting of the Council of the Christian Interconfessional Advisory Committee has been held

28.02.2025

Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk participates in Patriarchal Liturgy in Belgrade

26.02.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill speaks on the phone with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

25.02.2025

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije receives Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk

25.02.2025

DECR Chairman tells participants of the meeting at Nizhny Novgorod seminary about external contacts of the Russian Orthodox Church

22.02.2025

Rector of St George Church at Russia’s Embassy in Prague awarded the Order of Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles

20.02.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk celebrates Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Metochion in Bari

16.02.2025

DECR chairman meets with Catholic Archbishop of Bari-Bitonto Giuseppe Satriano

15.02.2025

On the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk celebrates Liturgy at the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari

15.02.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk: "We have embarked on a significant and new endeavor in Africa."

04.02.2025

The funeral service and burial of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania took place.

30.01.2025

Annual Christmas meeting takes place at Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

29.01.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with Primate of Orthodox Church of Antioch

26.01.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk visits Lebanon

26.01.2025

DECR Chairman meets with chaplain of St. Andrew's Anglican church in Moscow

23.01.2025

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب