Lavra monks can join OCU, Constantinople, or get out and go to Russia—state official

Kiev, March 17, 2023

Photo: spzh.news Photo: spzh.news     

Speaking on air earlier this week, a Ukrainian official from the State Ethnic Policy Commission tasked with dealing with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church openly revealed the true motivation for evicting the brotherhood of the Holy Dormition-Kiev Caves Lavra.

Formally, the state claims that the Church has violated the terms of its lease for usage of the Lower Lavra, the section of the monastery where the caves, monastic cells, and theological schools are located. At the same time, the examining commission refuses to share the actual results of its study.

However, speaking on air on 1+1 several days ago, Ludmila Filippovich, a member of the commission, revealed that the actual reason for kicking the monks is out is their first stance of loyalty to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“They’ve already been given options,” Filippovich said, reports tsn.ua.

“There’s the option where they choose their abbot and they can ask for a stavropegion from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, if they so terribly don’t want to join the OCU…”

And she continued, revealing the state’s attitude towards its own Ukrainian citizens: “For those who don’t like either of these options, we have a wonderful formula: ‘suitcase, train station, Russia.’”

Such rhetoric mirrors that of Petro Poroshenko, the previous president who teamed up with the U.S. State Department and the Patriarchate of Constantinople to create the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”

During his time in office, Poroshenko referred to the Orthodox Church as “Moscow demons,” he declared that the Church has no place in Ukraine, and he insisted that the Orthodox Church worships a different god than Ukrainians.

Likewise, Filippovich appealed to those who remain faithful to the Orthodox Church: “No one’s keeping you in Ukraine.”

Minister of Culture Alexander Tkachenko has also implied that the monks can stay if they just leave the Church and join the OCU. The monks, however, testify to their loyalty to Orthodoxy and say they have no intention of leaving their monastic home.

According to the Resident Telegram channel, with reference to an inside source in the Office of the Ukrainian President, the closing of the Lavra is just the first step towards banning the entire Church, which the state intends to do if His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine doesn’t agree to subordinate the Church to the schismatic OCU.

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3/17/2023

See also
Petitions in defense of UOC and Kiev Caves Lavra on gov’t site—Ukrainians defend their Church Petitions in defense of UOC and Kiev Caves Lavra on gov’t site—Ukrainians defend their Church Petitions in defense of UOC and Kiev Caves Lavra on gov’t site—Ukrainians defend their Church Petitions in defense of UOC and Kiev Caves Lavra on gov’t site—Ukrainians defend their Church
A petition was registered on the website of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers today, calling for the state not to evict the monks of the Kiev Caves Lavra. Jordanville: Special moleben for Metropolitan Onuphry and flock of Ukrainian Church Jordanville: Special moleben for Metropolitan Onuphry and flock of Ukrainian Church Jordanville: Special moleben for Metropolitan Onuphry and flock of Ukrainian Church Jordanville: Special moleben for Metropolitan Onuphry and flock of Ukrainian Church
The moleben to the Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Caves was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse, the abbot of the monastery. Kiev Caves brotherhood appeals for end to state persecution Kiev Caves brotherhood appeals for end to state persecution Kiev Caves brotherhood appeals for end to state persecution Kiev Caves brotherhood appeals for end to state persecution
The abbot and brotherhood of the persecuted Kiev Caves Lavra published a video appeal to the President, Ministers, and Deputies of Ukraine yesterday, calling on the state to leave the monks in peace to carry out their vocation of prayer. Ukrainian Hierarchs On the State Expelling Holy Orthodoxy from the Kiev Caves Lavra Ukrainian Hierarchs On the State Expelling Holy Orthodoxy from the Kiev Caves Lavra Ukrainian Hierarchs On the State Expelling Holy Orthodoxy from the Kiev Caves Lavra Ukrainian Hierarchs On the State Expelling Holy Orthodoxy from the Kiev Caves Lavra
A number of hierarchs have made statements on the situation, emphasizing that the Church built, has prayed in, and rebuilt the Lavra, and that the state has no legal grounds to expel the monatics. Brotherhood of Kiev Caves Lavra has no intention of leaving, says abbot Brotherhood of Kiev Caves Lavra has no intention of leaving, says abbot Brotherhood of Kiev Caves Lavra has no intention of leaving, says abbot Brotherhood of Kiev Caves Lavra has no intention of leaving, says abbot
The brotherhood of the Holy Dormition-Kiev Caves Lavra has no intention of obeying the illegal demand of the Ukrainian state requiring them to leave their holy habitation by the end of the month. Minister of Culture calls relics of Kiev Caves “museum exhibits,” threatens Church with criminal responsibility Minister of Culture calls relics of Kiev Caves “museum exhibits,” threatens Church with criminal responsibility Minister of Culture calls relics of Kiev Caves “museum exhibits,” threatens Church with criminal responsibility Minister of Culture calls relics of Kiev Caves “museum exhibits,” threatens Church with criminal responsibility
The Ministry of Culture informed the brotherhood of the Lavra last week that they have until March 29 to entirely vacate the monastery. Thousands of Orthodox Ukrainians fill Kiev Caves Lavra as state continues to persecute the monastery (+VIDEOS) Thousands of Orthodox Ukrainians fill Kiev Caves Lavra as state continues to persecute the monastery (+VIDEOS) Thousands of Orthodox Ukrainians fill Kiev Caves Lavra as state continues to persecute the monastery (+VIDEOS) Thousands of Orthodox Ukrainians fill Kiev Caves Lavra as state continues to persecute the monastery (+VIDEOS)
The Orthodox faithful of Kiev came out in force on Sunday to worship and show their love and support for holy Orthodoxy. Ukrainian Orthodox Church fully expelled from Kiev Caves Lavra by end of March Ukrainian Orthodox Church fully expelled from Kiev Caves Lavra by end of March Ukrainian Orthodox Church fully expelled from Kiev Caves Lavra by end of March Ukrainian Orthodox Church fully expelled from Kiev Caves Lavra by end of March
The Church has been informed that it has until March 29 to leave the Lavra altogether. The Lower Lavra, which the UOC still had access to, is home to the actual caves, the monks’ cells, and the Kiev Theological Seminary and Academy. Kiev Lavra responds to schismatic claims: We’re loyal to the Church and Metropolitan Onuphry Kiev Lavra responds to schismatic claims: We’re loyal to the Church and Metropolitan Onuphry Kiev Lavra responds to schismatic claims: We’re loyal to the Church and Metropolitan Onuphry Kiev Lavra responds to schismatic claims: We’re loyal to the Church and Metropolitan Onuphry
Dumenko’s statement is part of the heavy state and schismatic propaganda aimed at completely evicting the Orthodox Church from the Lavra in favor of the graceless schismatics.
Comments
Pfmd3/25/2023 5:54 am
Panagiotis: Unfortunately, this “clown” is a member of the elected government of Ukraine and under their constitutional laws has the right to make such a determination. You are correct to be outraged, but nobody in the west gives a-prayer concerning the persecution of the Orthodox in Ukraine. Zelensky promised last year that he would make Ukraine “the second Israel of Europe”. He can not fulfill that promise unless he eliminates all the Orthodox inhabitants by either mass migration to Russia and the EU through religious persecution and/or by “drafting” the Orthodox men and sending them to the battlefield to be slaughtered by the Russian army as is being done presently.
Panagiotis3/19/2023 4:52 am
Who is this clown to tell Orthodox People to leave the country that their ancestors have lived in for centuries. Simply unbelievable that this evil statement would be uttered. Can you imagine the outcry from the decadent West if this female clown told members of another religious organization to pack up and leave? Can you imagine the outcry from the decadent West if these gangsters were persecuting members of another religion? Western politicians and the Western news media would be screaming and demanding that this stop. Indeed they would quickly reverse their positions, and stop their support of the corrupt state of the Ukraine. Does this tell you who runs the show, and who does not run the show? Alexander Solzhenitsyn was correct. What is most tragic is that this is happening in an Orthodox Country. Ukraine IS an Orthodox Country, but many of its top leaders are NOT Orthodox. In fact, three top members of the government are not Orthodox, and they are not even ethnic Ukrainians. The midget clown president, the defense minister, and the prime minister are all of Ashkenazi descent. The aforementioned former president of the Ukraine Poroshenko is also allegedly of Ashkenazi descent from his father, although he denies this apparently (He is an Orthodox Christian). Ashkenazi are less than 1% of the population of the Ukraine. Ethnic Ukrainians are the majority. Ethnic Ukrainians Are Slavic like their Russian Brothers, who they are related to by Blood, has history, religion, and DNA PROVE. But the devious internationalists have BRAINWASHED many Ukrainians and turned them against their own Russian Blood Brothers. The Ukrainian Orthodox People are being USED as cannon fodder to fight this dirty war for the wealthy internationalist puppet masters. The sinister internationalists want to destroy the Conservative Orthodox Church and Conservative Orthodox Russia. But they will FAIL. Russia is not weak like Iraq or the Serbs or Libya, where the internationalists viciously attacked under FALSE pretenses. Indeed they are the masters of LIES and deception, and they are lying now about Russia. I tell you my friends they are lying through their teeth. Thank Almighty God that many people all over the world are finally waking up and speaking the truth about the corrupt gangster state of the Ukraine. Let us pray to Almighty God to protect our Orthodox People in the Ukraine and Russia. Let us pray to Almighty God and The Panagia to open people's eyes so they WAKE UP and see through the smoke screen of these diabolical internationalists. All Glory to our True God Jesus Christ. Just my humble opinion.
J (Johannes) Froebel-Parker 3/18/2023 5:03 am
When governments make drastic, hyperbolic, emotional decisions such as this know that the END is near. UKRAINE is morally bankrupt while the 2014 bigwigs have gotten fat off USA money. Fear not!
Alex3/17/2023 11:25 pm
Wow, Poroshenko: "...insisted that the Orthodox Church worships a different god than Ukrainians." So then, he's basically just conformed that he and his ilk worship the same pagan deities that the Nazis did. Very telling, and interesting!
Sandor Bronn3/17/2023 4:28 pm
Soon there won't be a "Ukraine" and Filippovich will have fled to Warsaw, or Davos, if she survives the burning and razing of Kiev. "Wonderful formula" for the Theomachists.
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