New abbot reports that his cell was robbed in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

A cell where Archimandrite Avraamii (Lotysh), acting abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, lived was robbed on the territory of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (Kyiv Cave Monastery).

Source: Archimandrite Avraamii confirmed the information to Ukrainska Pravda

Details: In particular, the perpetrators stole the archimandrite's computer and other personal belongings.

The door to the room was broken down, and everything that was not stolen was smashed.

At the same time, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda, Kyiv law enforcement officials noted that they had not received a report of the incident.

Background:

• The archimandrite of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (Kyiv Cave Monastery) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), Avraamii (Lotysh), joined the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and asked Metropolitan Epiphanius to approve him as acting abbot of the monastery. Epiphanius agreed. Metropolitan Onufriy of the UOC-MP banned Archimandrite Avraamii (Lotysh) from serving for his transfer to the OCU.
• In March 2023, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve terminated the agreement with the UOC-MP on the free use of the monastery in Kyiv, so the monks were forced to leave the monastery and all the premises. The monastery's caves were also closed for the duration of the inspection for the preservation of cultural property.
• Metropolitan Epiphanius of the OCU stated that the monastery on the territory of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra would not be closed and that the language of worship would be Old Slavic along with modern Ukrainian.
• The former abbot of the monastery, Metropolitan Pavlo (Lebid), stated that the clergy of the UOC-MP would not leave the territory of the monastery until a court decision was issued. The Kyiv Economic Court refused to secure the claim of the representatives of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra of the UOC-MP against the National Reserve Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
• On 1 April, Pavlo (Lebid) was served with a notice of suspicion of "violating the equality of citizens based on their religious beliefs" and "glorifying participants in Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine".
• The Shevchenkivskyi Court of Kyiv placed the former abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Pavlo (Petro Lebid), under round-the-clock house arrest until 30 May on suspicion of inciting sectarian hatred and justifying Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!