Kiev, February 13, 2026
Photo: lavra.ua
The city of Kiev will hold a major Soviet celebration this year in honor of the desecration of the Kiev Caves Lavra when it was converted into a state-owned museum in 1926.
Even after the fall of the Soviet Union, the monastery has, legally speaking, remained in Ukrainian state hands and one of the focal points of the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
On February 10, the Kiev City Council approved the list of memorable dates and anniversaries to be celebrated this year, including “The 100th anniversary of the Kiev Caves Lavra National Historical and Cultural Preserve, which is extremely significant for Ukrainians.”
According to Kiev City Deputy Viktoria Mukha, the conversion of the monastery into a glorification of atheism and the other figures and events being celebrated are “about who we are, at what price we fought for our freedom, and why today’s struggle is a continuation of the struggle of our ancestors.”
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On September 29, 1926, Soviet authorities designated the Kiev Caves Lavra as a state historical and cultural preserve, transforming it into the All-Ukrainian Museum Town. A museum of religion and atheism was established within the complex, where relics were displayed as “anthropological exhibits” and “mummified remains.”
Beyond the atheism museum, the Lavra complex housed theatrical museums, collections of Ukrainian science and art figures, and the Potocki collection containing libraries, engravings, lithographs, paintings, and sculptures—similar to what current preserve administrators are planning. Most of the Lavra’s buildings were converted to residential housing.
Memoirs from that period describe conditions in the monastery: blind World War I veterans lived in the Far Caves, often drinking in rowdy gatherings. The former guesthouse became densely populated housing for workers and clerks from nearby factories. Monastery cellars were leased to Vintrest for wine storage, with employees frequently drinking and selling spirits to neighbors. Museums became repositories for party members, the sick, disabled, and alcoholics. This diverse population lived in constant conflict and disputes.
The All-Ukrainian Museum Town dissolved in 1934, leaving only the anti-religious museum while other collections transferred to various Kiev museums. Between 1930 and 1931, the last monks were expelled (many being shot, imprisoned, or exiled), all churches closed, and the caves with their relics became part of an anti-religious exhibition called the “underground necropolis.” According to witnesses, tour guides engaged in anti-religious propaganda and mocked sacred objects.
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