Amsterdam: Intrusion into Lavra Caves – a return to Soviet-era persecution
International lawyer Robert Amsterdam has condemned the actions of Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture regarding the inspection of holy relics in the Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, calling it a violation of religious freedom.
Robert Amsterdam, an international attorney representing the interests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), issued an official statement denouncing the unauthorized intrusion by Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture into the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The full statement is published on the Save the UOC website.
According to the statement, on March 28, 2025, a commission appointed by the Ministry of Culture arrived at the Lavra to conduct an “inspection” of the relics preserved in the monastery’s caves. The commission included anatomists, histologists, embryologists, and even a doctor of veterinary sciences. The caves have been sealed off, and the commission’s work is scheduled to continue until May 30.
“This is nothing short of a state-sponsored desecration of a site that has been a spiritual centre for nearly a millennium,” Amsterdam stated.
“The government’s actions directly violate both Ukrainian law and international conventions on religious freedom. For the Ukrainian authorities to conduct such a raid, just days after the US Commission on International Religious Freedom was discussing the protection of holy relics in Ukraine, represents a further provocation,” the lawyer emphasized.
He stressed that this raid represents “a disturbing return to Soviet-era religious persecution tactics.”
The statement notes: “The commission’s inspection comes after the Ukrainian government’s controversial decision in March 2023 to terminate the UOC’s lease of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, an act widely regarded as unjust and politically motivated. Members of the UOC, a historic Christian denomination increasingly under attack by the government, are also currently preparing for the implementation of Law 3894, legislation that establishes a legal framework for the dissolution of the UOC.”
Amsterdam highlighted that Law 3894 and the persecution of the UOC have been criticized by numerous globally respected individuals and organizations, including Pope Francis, the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, the World Council of Churches, the U.S. Mission to the OSCE, the Church of England, and Forum 18.
“This fresh attack on Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra threatens to further undermine religious freedom in Ukraine and deepen social divisions—something Ukraine can ill afford as it continues its struggle against Russia’s aggression,” the statement concluded.
The UOC is calling on the international community to condemn this violation of religious freedom and demands an immediate halt to all unauthorized government activity at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that a Greek theologian appealed to the Primates of the Churches over the sacrilege at the Lavra.
