Court hearing on eviction of UOC monks from Kiev-Pechersk Lavra postponed due to illness of judge

A court hearing on the eviction of monks from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra has been postponed in Kiev once again. The hearing, scheduled for March 26, 2026, was not held due to the departure of the presiding judge on sick leave.

According to the Telegram channel «Fortress Lavra», the postponement of the process became known directly on the day of the hearing. On the eve of the meeting, the lawyer of the monastery, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, urged the faithful to strengthen prayer and support the brethren in this high-profile legal dispute.

This is not the first time that such delays in cases involving the monastery have been recorded. Earlier, on March 5, 2026, a meeting of the Northern Economic Court of Appeal regarding the use of the Lower Lavra’s facilities was also taken off the agenda due to the judge’s illness. The ongoing confrontation over the right of the monastic community to stay in the Lavra premises remains one of the most pressing issues on the religious agenda.

Recall, a new wave of confrontation between the administration of the National Reserve and representatives of the monastery was recorded in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. on March 24, 2026, the museum staff, without waiting for final court rulings, took forceful actions to restrict the access of the brethren to living and working quarters.