A hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the tragedy at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra: "The wounds of the Assumption Cathedral reflect the tragedy of the Ukrainian people"

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church stated that the damage to the Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra has become a symbol of the tragedy of the Ukrainian people, who have suffered from the war. In a statement, Metropolitan Klyment of Nezhin and Pryluky, head of the Synodal Information and Education Department of the UOC, emphasized that the Church strongly condemns Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and calls for intensified prayer for an end to the war.

According to the UOC website, Metropolitan Kliment noted that the consequences of Russian aggression have been the deaths of thousands of people and the destruction of holy sites. In his words, “God does not bless war,” since the Christian understanding of sacrifice is linked not to violence, but to salvation and the gift of eternal life.

The statement paid special attention to the significance of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The UOC representative described it first and foremost as an ancient place of prayer and a center of special spiritual presence. He recalled that the Lavra’s monks had built the monastery over generations and later restored it after the destruction inflicted during the Soviet period.

According to Metropolitan Klyment, it was not merely an architectural structure that came under attack, but a holy site. The damage to the Assumption Cathedral, as the Church representative noted, reflects the deeper pain of the entire Ukrainian people, who continue to suffer from a war that has long gone beyond what is morally acceptable.

The UOC expressed confidence that what has been destroyed will be restored, and that the Ukrainian people, with God’s help, will be able to withstand the current trials. The tragedy at the Lavra, Metropolitan Klyment emphasized, should prompt all Christians to intensify their prayers for an immediate end to the “madness of war,” for which, in his words, there can be no justification.

As a reminder, on the night of June 15, 2026, as a result of a rocket and drone attack by Russian forces on the territory of Kyiv, a fire broke out in the Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Significant damage was reported on the monastery grounds: the roof of the Cathedral of the Dormition caught fire. Cleanup efforts are ongoing at the site, with rescue workers, city services, and heavy equipment on the scene. At the same time, an emergency evacuation of sacred relics and liturgical items was organized.