In connection with the events related to the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the Primate of the OCU considers it necessary to provide an explanation on a number of issues.
His address was released by the OCU press service.
The head of the OCU emphasized that this is not about closing the monastery and urged not to believe manipulations surrounding the latest developments.
The Metropolitan praised the fact that the Ukrainian prayer is finally returning to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Below is the full text of the address:
“First of all, it should be emphasized that there the closure of this monastery, cessation of prayer, services and monastic life aren’t on the table. Comparing the current events with the past persecutions by Communist authorities targeting the Church in general and the two-time closure of the monastery in particular is baseless manipulation. This sounds especially cynical when voiced by a hierarch who was closely connected with the Communist Party and even tried to be nominated for an elected position on its behalf.
For a long time, both our Church, the Ukrainian state, and society tried to induce the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine to finally end its subordination to the Russian center, which is completely under the control of the Kremlin administration and is used as an instrument of hybrid aggression against Ukraine. In response, everyone saw not only an attempt to mislead the state and society by declaring separation from the Moscow Patriarchate while actually maintaining subordination to it. Both Metropolitan Onufriy and the Synod he heads failed to react in any way to the numerous facts of the collaboration of their hierarchs and clergy with the Russian occupiers and to the annexation by Kirill Gundyaev of religious bodies located in the temporarily occupied territories. Instead, in the spirit of Russian propaganda, they focused on accusing Ukraine.
Both the society in general and the brothers in particular are well aware of numerous examples of how, under the leadership of the current head of the monastery, the Lavra consistently and deliberately turned into a center for promoting the ideology of the “Russian world”. The ideology that became the foundation of and serves as a justification for Russia’s war against Ukraine. For this, the leader received an award from the Kremlin dictator, and the Russian leadership is now trying with all its might to prevent the liberation of the Ukrainian shrine from Moscow’s spiritual occupation.
I once again call on the brothers of the Lavra to contribute to the process of liberation from the Moscow yoke. We have a single Orthodox faith and belong to the single Church of Christ. Moscow’s spiritual power in Ukraine is non-canonical, and everyone can see how the Kremlin uses it against the Ukrainian people. The Lavra should not be an instrument of fight against Ukraine, but on the contrary – a place of prayer, a pious monastic life in the spirit of the fathers and ascetics of the past, a place that will spiritually inspire our fellow citizens in these difficult times.
Our hearts are open for unity. As a Holy Archimandrite, I testify my respect for the true pious traditions of the life of the Lavra, its liturgical features, for those fathers and brothers who came to this monastery for the sake of a feat and soul salvation; for everyone who does not share the ideology of the “Russian world” and the distortions it introduces into church life.
While opening the monastery as part of the Local Church, our Holy Synod at the same time appealed to the Government to provide premises for monastic life and services in the Lavra. This appeal remains relevant, and we will insist that the monastic life, the opportunity for daily prayer and divine services are adequately provided for.
We hear baseless assurances that the situation surrounding Larva is allegedly “temporary” and that it will soon be handed back to previous tenants. These statements do not correspond to the actual state of affairs.
Likewise, for many years, for decades, the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate has been deceiving the faithful in Ukraine that Moscow would supposedly grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church sometime in the future. Year after year, they assured that the Tomos of autocephaly would not be granted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and if there were such a Tomos, it would not be supported by anyone. They assured people that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine would quickly vanish.
Dear brothers, you should not believe all these rumors. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine is and will be out there, and the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine has neither a canonical nor a moral prospect. I hope that soon the final ban on Moscow’s influence on Ukrainian church life will be confirmed by state law.
As the Holy Archimandrite, I testify to the brothers that all of you who follow the requirements of the canons and Tomos and reject the lawless power of Moscow will continue their service in the Lavra. We will employ all our capabilities and authority to protect you from intimidation by the current chief of the Lavra. The affairs of the monastery will be managed by those who know the traditions and life of the monastery, who are known to you, because they belong to the brotherhood, have the appropriate abilities, and have not tarnished themselves with devotion to the “Russian world”. The ancient Slavic language, together with the modern Ukrainian language, will be the liturgical language of the Lavra – we know that this issue is also important for many of you.
As the Holy Archimandrite of the Lavra, I am open to dialogue and communication. Our goal is to preserve and renew the abode of our fathers Anthony and Theodosius, to cleanse it of the illusion of the “Russian world”. We are ready to cooperate with everyone who shares this desire.
And may God bless this good work with success!” said the Head of OCU.
