Kiev, April 25, 2023
Photo: rtvi.com
Ukrainian Minister of Culture Alexander Tkachenko spoke recently about the Ministry’s plans for the Kiev Caves Lavra once holy Orthodoxy is evicted from it.
Recall that the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church was already evicted from the Upper Lavra, including the monastery’s main cathedrals, at the end of last year. The brotherhood was then informed that it had until March 29 to leave the Lower Lavra as well, but the monks and the Orthodox faithful are standing their ground, and have been prayerfully defending the monastery for the past three weeks.
The Lavra became a state-owned cultural object under the godless authorities of the Soviet Union, and the Ukrainian government has continued this practice.
“Our life” should continue in the Lavra, Minister Tkachenko said on a recent telethon, reports Ukrinform.
“We would like to have a general concept of management and use on the territory of the Lower Lavra. Of course, our life there should continue, but there are some different questions about a rehabilitation center for the military, the activities of folk arts and crafts and other things,” he said.
Commenting on the Ministry of Culture’s plans, His Eminence Metropolitan Kliment of Nezhin, head of the UOC’s Information-Education Department, said:
Everything that’s happening today around the Lavra has nothing to do with the legislation of Ukraine, nor with the fundamental principles of human rights for any civilized society. However, Minister Tkachenko is rapidly trying to prove with his daily statements that the Ministry’s actions also have nothing to do with common sense. It seems to me that it’s becoming quite clear to society today that the blatant lack of professionalism in the decisions of officials of the Ministry of Culture on the same scale is manifested not only in unreasonable and illegal decisions concerning the Lavra, but also in all other issues of their activities at the expense of the Ukrainian budget.
Since evicting the Church from the Upper Lavra, the state has allowed the schismatics to serve there several times. In January, the state even staged a concert in a church featuring songs about murdering Russians.
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