The "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" National Reserve has announced plans to alter the murals in the Cathedral of the Dormition

Maksym Ostapenko, Director General of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, announced his intention to remove elements of the frescoes from the interior of the Cathedral of the Dormition, which he described as “Russian narratives.” This refers to part of the cathedral’s modern decor, which the reserve’s administration associates with the period when the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was in charge of the cathedral.

Ostapenko outlined the reserve’s position at a press conference in Kyiv. According to him, as part of the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral, there are plans to remove elements of the murals which, the official claims, were “incorporated” into the cathedral’s decor during the UOC’s administration.

Separately, the head of the reserve mentioned images associated with the Lavra’s abbot, Metropolitan Pavel (Lebed). Ostapenko stated that he hopes the renovated interior will be free not only of such portraits but also of other symbolic elements, which he characterized as semantic narratives used, in his assessment, for ideological influence.

According to Ostapenko’s statement, instead of the current design, the reserve intends to restore the Assumption Cathedral to its “authentic Ukrainian Baroque style.” According to the reserve’s administration, this artistic approach was the basis of the original restoration project for the shrine.

As a reminder, we previously reported that the “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” National Reservehad “rebranded” the names of the saints whose incorruptible relics rest in the caves of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The plaques bearing the names of the saints, which were previously written in Church Slavonic, have been translated into Ukrainian.