Pochaev, June 20, 2018
Photo: pochaev.org.ua The Holy Dormition-Pochaev Lavra has had to respond to recent media accusations that the brotherhood clergy refused to commune children who had read the Lord’s Prayer in the Ukrainian language.
The Lavra brethren called the relevant article and its accusations of “blatant Ukrainophobia” provocative and fictitious from start to finish, reports the site of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The slanderous article “is without any names, dates, or other dates that would hint at at least some reliability,” the brethren write on the Lavra’s website.
The monastery’s press service acknowledged that it is already used to living in an atmosphere of such pseudo-journalistic slander. However, the brethren are especially disappointed because the “clumsy fake” was supported by Fr. Cyril (Hovorun), the former Chairman of the Ukrainian Church’s Department for External Church Relations, “who calls himself an Orthodox figure,” without checking any of the information.
“What is this analyst, once respected in the Orthodox community, doing when he passes off this obvious fake?” the Lavra’s statement inquires.
The brethren also emphasized that the Lavra is a great holy site, visited by thousands of pilgrims every day, and the walls of the monastery are filled with the prayers of Ukrainians, in Ukrainian. Therefore, the brethren are quite shocked that such accusations could even arise and could gain any traction.
The Lavra also appealed to all members of the press with the words of the Savior Himself: But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (Mt. 12:36-37).
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt. 25:41), the brethren also added.
“It is precisely with the prayers of Ukrainians themselves that the Lavra churches are filled … and this is known to everyone who has been to Pochaev and took part in the life of the Lavra,” the press service message states in conclusion.
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