Head of the UGCC Calls for Making the Pochaiv Lavra a Shrine Open to All Denominations

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, has proposed that certain Ukrainian religious sites — including the Pochaiv Lavra — be made accessible for prayer by believers of all Christian denominations. He made this statement on April 4 in Lutsk during the presentation of his book “Ukraine stands! Ukraine fights! Ukraine prays!” at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University, as reported by Rayon.Kultura.

Responding to a question about the possibility of returning the Pochaiv Lavra to the Greek Catholics, Shevchuk emphasized that the issue is not about property, but about the right to pray:

“We are not asking for property, we are asking for the opportunity to pray,” the archbishop stated.

He recalled that the Lavra belonged to the UGCC from 1713 to 1832, and during that time it served as an important center for the development of the Ukrainian language and spiritual culture, including active exchanges of religious literature between the Pochaiv Monastery and the Orthodox Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

In Shevchuk’s view, the expulsion of Greek Catholics from Pochaiv in the 19th century was a political act by the imperial authorities, who sought to turn the shrine into a stronghold of the “Russian world.”

“The expulsion of our monks from Pochaiv was an imperial act… And unfortunately, it remains so to this day,” Shevchuk said.

He called on Ukrainian society to embrace a broader understanding of sacred sites, proposing the concept of “national shrines” — places not restricted to one denomination, but open for shared Christian worship.

As an example, he referred to sites in the Holy Land, where various Christian traditions take turns conducting services in the same churches.

“I believe that Saint Sophia or even the Pochaiv Lavra should be considered national shrines,” said the UGCC head.

As a reminder, Shevchuk previously stated that Ukraine should not agree to peace negotiations with Russia. He believes that any format of peace being imposed behind Ukraine’s back is unacceptable and unjust.