Dumenko is convinced that the monks of the Kyiv-Pechersk and Pochaiv Lavras will eventually join the OCU

The head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, is convinced that the process of some monks and church communities transitioning from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the Ukrainian schism will be gradual and should take place peacefully. In his view, the monks of the Kyiv-Pechersk and Pochaiv Lavras will ultimately join the OCU.

In an interview with Radio Liberty, Dumenko noted that as of today, the OCU already has the right to conduct religious services in the churches of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra—specifically in the Cathedral of the Dormition and the Refectory Church. At the same time, he said, some monks of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church remain at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. He acknowledged that they may eventually join the OCU, but this process will require effort and dialogue. “These are people we need to work with and communicate with,” Dumenko noted.

Responding to expectations of a faster pace of events, the head of the OCU emphasized that the transition cannot be viewed as something that must happen “in a single day.” In his view, it is important to take the human factor into account and build relationships, and the transition process itself will be irreversible.

Dumenko also expressed confidence that other holy sites, including the Pochaiv Lavra, will join the OCU in the future. He called for patience: for the church, a year or several years is “a short time,” since changes within the church are established over centuries.

As a reminder, earlier, Nestor Pysyk, the 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 shrine by all available means.