Monks of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Refuse to Participate in Relic Inventory

Bishop Gideon (Kharon) of Makariv, a hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and former abbot of the Desiatynnyi Monastery in Kyiv, reported that the brethren of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra refused to take part in the so-called “inventory” of holy relics kept in the monastery’s caves. This was reported by the Russian news agency «RIA Novosti» on March 28.

According to Bishop Gideon, the monks locked the caves to prevent sacrilege. However, law enforcement officers, together with representatives of the reserve administration, resorted to force—cutting open the locked doors with a power tool.

“All the locks were closed because the monks categorically refused to participate in this godless desecration—the so-called ‘inventory’ of the holy relics,” the publication quotes Bishop Gideon as saying.

He also described these actions as sacrilege and suggested that the purpose of the inventory might be to facilitate the future removal, concealment, or even theft of the relics.

It is worth noting that the commission of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, which will conduct the «inventory» of the relics of the Kyiv-Pechersk saints, will include specialists from unusual fields. According to official data from the Ministry’s decree, the commission will consist of, among others, embalming experts, biologists, zoologists, and even veterinarians. The commission is expected to work with the relics of the Kyiv-Pechersk saints until May 2025.