10 Mar 2023, 17:56

Kiev-Pechersk Lavra evicts UOC monks from monastery; must vacate by March 29

For the purposes of carrying out the procedure for transferring state property, the monastery must take action to vacate those buildings and facilities (property) that are owned by the state

MOSCOW, March 10. /TASS/. The acting director of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, a historic monastery and museum under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, has ordered all monks belonging to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) [of the Moscow Patriarchate] to leave the premises by March 29 due to the termination of the lease to the site, a statement published on the monastery’s website on Friday said.

"The museum is [issuing a] warning about the termination of the [lease] agreement as of March 29, 2023. For the purposes of carrying out the procedure for transferring state property, the monastery must take action to vacate those buildings and facilities (property) that are owned by the state and counted among the museum’s assets <...> by March 29, 2023," the statement said.

The statement clarifies that the working group that identified violations of the lease had been established by an order of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for enforcement of a resolution of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine titled "On Certain Aspects of the Activities of Religious Organizations in Ukraine and the Application of Personalized Special Economic and Other Restrictions (Sanctions).".

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