Monks at the Sviatohirsk monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which was recently destroyed by a Russian strike, remain loyal to the ROC and pray for the health of Patriarch Cyril, despite the latter’s blessing on the war against Ukraine and massacre of peaceful Ukrainians.
This was reported by Apostrophe with reference to a report by the New York Times.
Two monks and a nun were killed and several were injured in the shelling of the Sviatohirsk Lavra by the Siversky Donets River. However, this did not affect the attitudes of surviving monks, as they continue to pray for Patriarch Cyril and for the “awareness” of Russian occupiers, who monks believe “probably do not understand what they are doing and are simply following orders.”
At the same time, some monks refuse to believe that they are being shelled by the Russians. “We can’t be sure whose side is hitting. They are far off, and we can’t see them,” said one of the monastery’s residents, who commenting on yet another strike by the occupation forces on the Blessed Virgin Church.
At the same time, the monks believe that their troubles do not come from the aggressor power, Russia, but stress that “this is the Almighty’s plan, not the decision of the Russian army.”
In total, more than 300 people are now sheltering from Russian missile and artillery strikes in the caves and basements of the Lavra complex. It is almost impossible to evacuate the monastery because the road leading to it has been completely destroyed in shelling, while the complex itself has been significantly damaged as well.
