A hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church condemned the erection of a monument to Ivan Mazepa on the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

The erection of a monument to Hetman Ivan Mazepa on the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra has drawn sharp criticism from members of the clergy. Gedeon (Charon), a retired bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), called the event “blasphemy and an affront to history,” according to TASS.

According to the clergyman, the appearance of such a monument in a place of such significance for Orthodox believers is “an attempt to spit in the soul” not only of Christians but of every person who shares traditional values. Bishop Gedeon emphasized that he views this move as part of a broader political trend toward glorifying radical ideologies in Ukraine.

As a reminder, it was previously reported that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine had adopted an official decision to establish the Ukrainian National Pantheon, which will be located on the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve.