Kiev, June 23, 2014
The Kiev Caves Lavra has commented on the events currently taking place near the monastery walls. As other news sources have reported, there is an “anti-Maidan” group who organized a peaceful Cross procession around the Lavra. This group drew ire from the nationalist Ukrainian forces, who prevented them from making the procession with threats.
“The situation around the Lavra is once again being aggravated from all sides. We consider it necessary to remind everyone that according to the announcement of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s Holy Synod, assembled several days ago, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as ever, is calling upon all sides to reach a peaceful settlement of the conflicts and to raise up more intensive prayer: ‘We are calling upon all the faithful members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to pray fervently for our state and for the God-loving Ukrainian people’,” reads the message, published on the Kiev Caves Lavra’s website on June 22.
“Services are celebrated at the Lavra churches as is the tradition. Today, on the occasion of the feast-day of All Saints who shone forth in our land, a special prayer for peace in the Ukrainian state has been offered up as well. The monastery is continuing its life in prayer, traditional prayer services are performed.
“However, various groups of people, who do not have the blessing of the Church hierarchy, on one side, have without permission organized events to provoke a breach of the church community, and this has led to increasing political divisions. On the other side, several hundred people with aggressive behavior picketed the Kiev Caves Lavra.
“Receiving all those who wish to pray in the monastery, calling to peace and unity with the Mother Church, the Dormition Kiev Caves Lavra, however, does not bear responsibility for possible unexpected actions of the above-mentioned groups of people,” the message reads.
On June 22, the Lavra’s website resumed their online broadcast from the square near the gates of the monastery.
