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Schismatic OCU appoints its own vicar of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra monastery

On March 10, the management of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra reserve announced the termination of the open-ended lease contract with the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra of the UOC and ordered the monks to leave the monastery by March 29

MOSCOW, March 29. /TASS/. The head of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) Epiphany has appointed the OCU’s own "vicar" (assistant rector) of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where the monastery of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) is now located. Epiphany, who also positions himself as the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra’s abbot, appointed Avraamiy (Lotysh) as his deputy in this capacity.

"Metropolitan Epiphany [in response] to my request approved me among the brethren of the Lavra as part of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. I was entrusted with the duties of the monastery’s vicar," Avraamiy said in a video message published on the OCU’s YouTube channel on Wednesday.

Archimandrite Avraamiy (Lotysh) was previously a monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra within the canonical UOC, but moved to the schismatic OCU.

On March 10, the management of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra reserve announced the termination of the open-ended lease contract with the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra of the UOC and ordered the monks to leave the monastery by March 29. The abbot of the Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel, called these actions illegal and announced the monks’ refusal to leave the monastery. On Wednesday morning, the management of the museum-reserve stated that the clergy and the monks of the UOC should leave the Lavra during the day by 11:59 p.m.

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