“This is not culture, but pure Satanism,” says Metropolitan Luke about the actions taken with the relics of saints.

Metropolitan Luke of Zaporizhia commented on the events at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, where employees of the reserve carried out the relics of the saints and committed blasphemous acts. According to him, modern attempts to cover up such actions with words about “spirituality,” “culture,” or “innovation” are only a mask for blasphemy. “Everything that is built on the desecration of a shrine is inevitably destroyed. You cannot build a temple of new life on the bones of saints—you will only get a painted coffin, wrapped in words about ‘development,’ which is beautiful on the outside but full of filth on the inside,” the bishop said. He wrote about this on his Telegram channel.

“This is not culture, but pure Satanism — blasphemous desecration of a shrine, covered with the mask of modernity. Moreover, the leader proudly declares ”spiritual support for the new residents of the Lavra.“ But where are these ”supporters»? Why are they not near the relics? Where are the prayers, the tears of repentance, at least a shadow of reverence? Their ‘support’ is silent consent to abomination. This is not spiritual help, but complicity in darkness. The fruits of such ‘spirituality’ are outright devilry, dressed in a cassock, covered with pious words,» the bishop noted.

The Metropolitan emphasized that desecration of relics cannot be justified by any words or “modern approaches”: «Holiness cannot be abolished, cannot be rewritten in documents, cannot be hidden under the stairs or in a warehouse. The relics of the saints are the living grace of God. The Lord said: “God is not mocked” (Gal. 6:7). Any attempt to mock the shrines will result in judgment for those who dared to raise their hands against the holy.»

His Eminence also noted that the current actions in the Lavra are a test of faith for all the children of the Church. “For us believers, we must not be afraid, but confess Christ even more firmly, as our fathers did in times of persecution. And for those who desecrate holy things, this is already testimony against them on the Day of God’s Judgment, which no one will escape,” emphasized Metropolitan Luke.

The Metropolitan noted that any attempts to legalize such actions as “cultural heritage” or “unique events” are false: «In earthly archives, they will be called ‘creators,’ but in the books of Heaven, they will be called blasphemers and traitors to Christ. ‘Reconstruction’ based on blasphemy is not a temple, but a pagan shrine; ‘spirituality’ without Christ is not light, but darkness; ‘innovation’ against God is not development, but eternal destruction,» concluded Bishop Luke.

We also recall that the Exarch of the Jerusalem Patriarchate in Cyprus, Metropolitan Timotheos of Vostra, commented on the actions of the employees of the National Reserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” regarding the relics of the Venerable Pechersk Saints. According to him, the manipulation of the relics is sacrilege and comparable to the crimes of the godless Soviet regime. His Eminence emphasized that such actions deal a severe blow to the spiritual conscience of believers.