The head of the OCU called the eviction of the UOC from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra “a liberation from the shackles of the Russian world”

Epiphanius Dumenko, head of the OCU, during a meeting with a delegation from the Mount Athos monastery “Novy Esfigmen” stated that the current process of ousting monks of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is a process of “liberating” the monastery from the so-called “shackles of the Russian world.”

In his speech, delivered after the divine services at the Cathedral of the Dormition, Dumenko emphasized that the Lavra is allegedly returning to “true ministry” by ridding itself of “false teachings.” He expressed his conviction that such changes find spiritual support in St. Anthony of the Caves, noting that “deception” had influenced the monastery’s territory for “a long time.”

Dumenko also thanked representatives of the Mount Athos monastic community for their support of his organization and for their joint prayers for autocephaly. At the same time, the head of the OCU added that he is praying that representatives of the UOC who oppose the transition will eventually “reconcile” with his church.

As a reminder, earlier, Maksym Ostapenko, director general of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, issued a statement saying that the presence of the monastic community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) on the territory of the Lower Lavra creates obstacles to the development of tourism in the area. According to the reserve’s director, the current access regime to the shrine limits tourists’ ability to freely visit the site.