UOC Chancellor: Authorities declare war on their own people

Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich). Photo: news.church.ua

The illegal forcible seizure by officials of the Ministry of Culture and the police of the premises of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra once again indicates that the authorities are ignoring the rights of the largest confession in Ukraine and are fighting against the citizens of their country. This was stated in a video message by the Chancellor of the UOC, Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary.

He noted that on July 6 in the morning, employees of the National Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve, accompanied by many armed security forces, "committed impudent arbitrariness: without a court decision and in the absence of any legal grounds, having sealed three buildings of the Lavra."

The bishop emphasized that “one of the first illegal invasions was the residence of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church: the reserve commission, despite warnings about the illegality of its actions, broke the locks and seized the residence,” and then sealed it.

Vladyka also pointed out that entry to and exit from the Lavra before 11:00 am was forbidden to everyone – even the residents of the monastery, as well as students and teachers of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary.

According to the metropolitan, "the actions of the reserve are illegal, since the consideration of court cases continues today, and there is not a single court decision that would allow the reserve to seal and restrict access to the premises of the Lavra."

“What is happening once again shows that the authorities are ignoring the rights of the largest religious denomination in our country, trampling on the very human rights that they declare,” said the Chancellor of the UOC. “And the worst thing is that during an external war, the authorities inside Ukraine declare war on their own people, fight with ordinary citizens of their country, with innocent believers, elderly people and women, whose husbands and sons are at the front and lay down their lives for our homeland."

The archpastor urged the believers "despite the screaming injustice, with courage and patience to bear their cross and pray for each other, defending their shrines."

“Let us always remember the unsurpassed experience of the first Christians, about which the holy Apostle Paul said: “To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless <...>.When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly.’ And this is our victory in Christ, because God is not in power, but in truth,” added Metropolitan Anthony.

As reported by the UOJ, the Ministry of Culture demanded that two more buildings of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra be vacated by July 10.

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