The Ministry of Culture confirmed that the UOC-MP must leave the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra before March 29.
A copy of the statement appeared on the ministry’s website. Director General of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Reserve, which was previously distributed by representatives of the UOC-MP.
In turn, the UOC-MP stated that there were no legal grounds for this, and called the decision biased.
Recall that on March 10, the UOC-MP reported that they were breaking the agreement on the lease of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. With a branch of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, the lease agreement for the Lower Lavra has been terminated since July 2013.
According to the report, from March 29, 2023, the contract will be terminated based on the conclusions of the interdepartmental working group and the letter of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy dated March 9.
Representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate were called on to vacate the rented premises on the territory of the Lower Lavra on Lavrskaya, 11 and Lavrskaya, 15 by March 29.
The letter, signed by the director of the reserve Oleksandr Rudnyk, noted that the interdepartmental working group for the preparation of proposals and recommendations on organizing the implementation of certain tasks related to the activities of religious organizations in Ukraine revealed “a violation by the Monastery of the terms of the agreement on the use of state property.”
Based on this, the reserve terminates the contract from March 29, 2023 – to this day, the monastery must vacate buildings and structures at two addresses: Lavrskaya street, 11 (the territory of the infectious diseases hospital) and Lavrskaya, 15 (buildings on the territory of the Lower Lavra).
At the same time, the document does not refer to the liberation of the buildings at Lavrskaya 17, this is the territory of the Resurrection (the so-called Afghan Church), where 5 cultural heritage sites are located.
Recall that as early as December 8, 2022, Oleksandr Rudnik saw no reason to leave the territory of the UOC-MP Reserve and did not understand “why it should be against” the stay of the monastery in the Lavra.
Source: Racurs
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