The creation of a pantheon at the Lavra is an attempt by Zelenskyy to strike a blow against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, says a political analyst

The initiative to locate the National Pantheon on the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra has drawn criticism from the expert community. According to political scientist Kostya Bondarenko, this decision is driven not by a state necessity but by a desire to strike a blow against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The expert emphasized that it is not customary in global practice to establish such facilities within active religious sites. As an example, he cited Paris, where the Pantheon was built as a separate structure, not on the site of religious shrines. Bondarenko noted that choosing the Lavra for such purposes is an act of cynicism and an attempt to offend the feelings of the faithful.

“The main point is to carry out yet another act directed against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and against canonical Orthodoxy in Ukraine. It wasn’t enough to expel the Church; it wasn’t enough to hold blasphemous events like rock concerts in the Refectory Church. So, in the end, they also decided to create a pantheon on the grounds of an Orthodox monastery, which is a sanctuary for the entire Orthodox world, not just for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” Bondarenko stated.

In addition, the political analyst expressed doubt about the technical feasibility of the project, suggesting that the authorities’ true goals are to misappropriate budget funds and exert ideological pressure on the Church.

As a reminder, we previously reported that an employee of the “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” National Reserve and, concurrently, the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery of the OCU, Avraam Lotysh, officially expressed support for the government’s initiative to build a National Pantheon on the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, calling this decision a “landmark event” for Ukraine.