A hierarch of the OCU acknowledged that they would not be able to seize the Pochaiv Lavra in the coming years

Nestor Pysyk, head of the Ternopil Diocese of the OCU, expressed doubt that his organization would be able to gain access to the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra in the foreseeable future. In his view, the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church intend to fight to preserve access to the holy site by all available means.

, a hierarch of the OCU, is convinced that ownership of the Pochaiv Lavra effectively means control over spiritual influence throughout western Ukraine. Pysyk attributes his skepticism regarding rapid changes to the protracted legal proceedings involving other religious sites in the Ternopil region.

As examples, he cited the situation with the Holy Spirit Hermitage in Pochaiv, where the Supreme Court overturned lower courts’ decisions to terminate the lease agreement, as well as the Epiphany Convent in Kremenets, where representatives of the UOC continue to occupy the premises despite the expiration of the lease term and the stalling of the case in the higher courts.

As a reminder, the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (GESS) had previously officially notified the leadership of the Pochaiv Lavra of the need to sever ties with the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC and the Russian Orthodox Church. Otherwise, the agency is prepared to initiate legal proceedings to shut down the religious institution.