Situation in the Mykolaiv Krupytsia Monastery of the UOC: nuns report severe restrictions and pressure

A critical situation has developed in the Mykolaiv Krupytsia Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC): it is reported that the monastery has been effectively transformed into a restricted facility with severe restrictions on the rights of nuns and blocked access to key buildings. At present, the conditions of the sisters’ stay in the monastery are characterized by sources as extremely difficult, comparable to imprisonment.

According to “Dozor on the First Cossack,” the administration of the reserve where the monastery is located has actually transferred the facility to a special control regime. The sisters are deprived of the opportunity to visit the church for prayers, and are also deprived of free access to the buildings where food supplies are stored. The situation is complicated by increased control by law enforcement agencies.

According to sources, police officers are subjecting all parcels received from believers to a total inspection. It is reported that police officers even cut open food, including bread, to check for hidden packages. Such actions and the general attitude of the security forces towards the monastery’s residents create an atmosphere of constant oppression and psychological pressure.

Against the backdrop of all this, there are alarming reports about the health of the monastery’s abbess, Abbess Dorothea. The abbess, who is suffering from cancer, has experienced a sharp deterioration in her health. Despite her recent eye surgery and difficulties with mobility, the abbess continues to carry out her prayer ministry and encourages the sisters to keep their spirits strong, praying, in particular, for their abusers.

Earlier, we reported that the Synod of the OCU decided to create a new religious association, the Baturyn Mykola-Krupytsky Monastery. This event took place shortly after the authorities evicted nuns of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) from the Krupytsia St. Nicholas Monastery, located in the Chernihiv region.