Kiev, April 26, 2023
Photo: glavcom.ua
Ukrainian authorities imposed restrictions on access to the lower section of the Holy Dormition-Kiev Caves Lavra yesterday.
The monastery has been state-owned since Soviet times and is divided into the Upper Lavra and Lower Lavra. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church was already evicted from the Upper Lavra at the end of last year, and authorities are now trying to completely evict holy Orthodoxy from the monastery, though the monks and Ukrainians with faith in Jesus Christ have been prayerfully protecting the monastery every day for weeks.
However, the authorities are now restricting access to the Lower Lavra. The monastery’s press service reported yesterday:
Brothers and sisters, take note! The Kiev Caves Lavra National Reserve has changed the time of entry to the territory of the Lower Lavra starting April 25, 2023. Now you can get to the Kiev Caves Monastery only from 08:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
We remind you that you must have identification with you.
Police recently began demanding ID from anyone wanting to enter the territory of the monastery. Last week, they even tried to prevent monks who left the monastery in a cross procession from returning to their home because they hadn’t taken their ID with them.
As the legal department of the UOC notes, the time restrictions means the faithful won’t be able to attend the morning services that begin at 5:30 AM, or stay through the end of evening services, which end after 7:00 PM
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