Anna Voytovych of Ternopil registered an electronic petition to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine about the termination of the lease agreement signed by the UOC in unity with the Moscow Patriarchate for the Pochaiv Assumption Lavra.
According to the author of the petition, the Pochaiv Lavra is still under the complete control of the Russian Orthodox Church.
“There has been a war in Ukraine for almost a year now, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) is running overt anti-Ukrainian propaganda and supporting the enemy in every possible way. The complex of buildings of the Pochaiv Holy Dormition Lavra, which in Ternopil region is still under the complete authority of the Russian Orthodox Church, despite numerous violations of the monument protection legislation, including through the construction of a new giant cathedral and a five-story hotel,” the petition says.
As of 15:00 on January 22, a total of 769 people signed the petition out of the required 25,000.
On December 2, 2022, Ukraine introduced sanctions against the leadership of the UOC (MP) due to the systematic anti-Ukrainian activities of the church in Ukraine and the promotion of the so-called “Russian world.” Law enforcement opened a number of criminal proceedings in this regard.
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine recognized as constitutional Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations, which provides for a mandatory mention in the name of the UOC (MP) the fact of its belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).
The Ministry of Culture recommended that the lease deal, signed by the UOC for operating two churches in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra from the UOC (MP), not be extended.
On December 31, the UOC (MP) held its last service in the Upper Lavra. On January 1, the UOC (MP) was no longer allowed to the territory of the Dormition and Tabernacle Cathedrals. In response, the former governor of the Lavra, Metropolitan Pavlo, resorted to curses.
On New Year’s Eve, 78% of Ukrainians said that it is time to get over with the activities of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine.
