Moscow-linked church metropolitan holds liturgy in Lavra despite court's decision obliging monks to leave monastery

Metropolitan Onufriy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) has held a liturgy in the Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (Kyiv Monastery of the Caves), despite the court's decision regarding the impossibility of further stay on its premises.

Source: UOC-MP website

Details: It was noted that the liturgy took place on 2 April, the 5th Sunday of the Great Lent.

Onufriy was co-served by UOC head of affairs Metropolitan Antonii of Boryspil and Brovary, Metropolitan Oleksii of Voznesensk and Pervomaisk, Archbishop Viktor of Baryshivka, Archbishop Sylvestr of Bilohorod, Bishop Lavr of Irpin, Bishop Mark of Borodianka, "clergy of the monastery and guests in a holy rank".

The UOC-MP also noted that the Church of the Ascension of Our Lord could not accommodate all willing believers, so some of the parishioners prayed in the square in front of the church despite the rainy weather.

Previously: On 30 March, the Kyiv Commercial Court dismissed the lawsuit brought by the UOC-MP against the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve. Pavlo, the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and Metropolitan of the UOC-MP, had declared that UOC-MP clergy would not leave the territory of the Lavra until the court handed down a judgement.

Background:

• In March 2023, the National Reserve Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra terminated the agreement with the UOC-MP on the free use of the monastery in Kyiv. UOC-MP clergy were to have left the monastery on 30 March, but they did not wish to do so, and therefore filed a lawsuit against the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve. The court rejected this claim.
• The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy commission for accepting and transferring of state property of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves) was twice prevented from entering the monastery to conduct an inspection by priests and believers of the UOC-MP.
• Pavlo, the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), threatened journalists with violence and prevented them from doing their work. The Union of Journalists of Ukraine reported mass violations of journalists' rights near the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
• Meanwhile, Avraamii Lotysh, Archimandrite of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra of the UOC-MP, joined the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and asked its head, Metropolitan Epiphanius, to approve him as acting abbot of the monastery. Epiphanius agreed, and UOC-MP Metropolitan Onufriy banned Archimandrite Avraamii from serving for switching to the OCU.
• The Shevchenkivskyi District Court in Kyiv placed Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebid), the former abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, under round-the-clock house arrest until 30 May; the churchman is suspected of inciting sectarian hatred and condoning Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.

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