The Ministry of Culture held another secular event in the Refectory Church of the Kyiv Cave Monastery, which was taken away from the UOC

on April 20, 2026, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine organized an all-Ukrainian forum entitled «Identity as Coherence: Territories, Meanings, Practice» in the Refectory Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. This was reported by the Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna on social media.

The event discussed the formation of national identity, which, according to Tetiana Berezhna, determines the level of trust in society and the country’s ability to act as a single system. The forum participants emphasized that common meanings and stories help citizens better understand each other and create the necessary connection between people. No official explanation was given for the choice of a religious building as a venue for this event.

To organize the forum, the interior of the church was re-equipped: chairs were placed inside, and a large-scale screen was mounted on the gate separating the Refectory Chamber from the Church of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius. Speakers at the event included the head of the Lavra Reserve Maxim Ostapenko, Minister of Youth and Sports Matvey Bidny, and representative of the OCU Yevstratiy Zoria.

Earlier, we reported that the Kyiv Cave Monastery National Reserve and the OCU signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation. The document, concluded on December 31, 2025, is aimed at «jointly taking measures to ensure the preservation and proper use of sacred objects of national cultural heritage, in particular the Near and Far Caves, as well as the relics of the saints.»