Head of Kyiv Cave Monastery "reserve" speaks about the "future" of the monastery within the OCU

Maksym Ostapenko, Director General of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, presented a strategic vision for the development of the shrine based on close cooperation between the state and the OCU. The key goal of this strategy is to transform the Lavra from a national monument into a global spiritual center that broadcasts Ukraine’s European values.

During an interview with Akim Galimov, Maksym Ostapenko said that the main task of the complex at this stage is to unite efforts to restore «Ukrainian prayer» and strengthen statehood. According to the head, the synergy between the reserve, the monastery, and government agencies will make it possible to form the image of a world-class shrine in the next 25 years.

Ostapenko emphasized that the «renewed» Lavra should become an important tool of cultural diplomacy, demonstrating Ukraine’s role as an integral part of European culture. It was also noted that the preservation and development of the complex was made possible largely due to its status as a state reserve, which provides the necessary support for the implementation of such large-scale plans.

Earlier, Maksym Ostapenko spoke about the main problems of the OCU in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The official is convinced that the OCU has too few monks to «revive Ukrainian Orthodox life» in the monastery. Ostapenko cited as an example the times when the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was under the control of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and had from 200 to 500 monks.