Chef Klopotenko apologizes for Lavra show

Yevhen Klopotenko. Photo: Insider

Ukrainian chef and restaurateur Yevhen Klopotenko apologized for filming his culinary show in the Refectory Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra but claimed that the UOC caused people to distance themselves from the Church.

"I am always ready to admit my mistakes. Therefore, I offer my sincere apologies to all truly faithful Ukrainians whose feelings I may have hurt," Klopotenko wrote on his Instagram page.

At the same time, he claimed that the Lavra, along with Ukrainian history, had been under pressure for decades, and that fear of making mistakes had led people to avoid churches. "In my personal opinion, during the years of the UOC-MP's dominance, the Church became very detached from the people. Many lived in fear of doing something wrong, so they simply avoided the temples," the restaurateur noted.

According to him, the return of the Lavra to the control of the Ukrainian state is a step toward restoring historical memory. "Now, with the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra at least partially freed from Moscow's oppression, I want you to visit this incredible reserve – it’s our history, our heritage, and something to be proud of," he added.

To critics who objected to the culinary show in the Lavra’s Refectory Church, Klopotenko responded that Russian bot farms and propagandists were behind the attacks on him. "The enemy is putting in extraordinary efforts to divide us, flooding the information space with hundreds of fake stories. But they will fail!" he stated.

He called on Ukrainians to unite in defending their identity. "If Ukrainian society acted as decisively and unitedly, there would be no Boiko or Shariy figures in our information space, and all Kremlin agents would already be imprisoned for treason," Klopotenko wrote.

In conclusion, Klopotenko encouraged Ukrainians to remain positive and spread goodwill. "Evil will not break us if we radiate light. So, let’s share love!" he concluded.

Earlier, Yevhen Klopotenko revealed that he had fulfilled a long-held dream by visiting the Refectory Hall of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. However, this caused a negative reaction from the majority of society and from clergy of various denominations.

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