Dumenko and Yelensky plan Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra’s 975th anniversary
The heads of the OCU and DESS discussed preparations for the jubilee of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and issues of interaction between the state and the monastic complex.
On January 21, 2026, in Kyiv, a working meeting was held to prepare for the celebration of the 975th anniversary of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, with the participation of OCU head Serhiy Dumenko and the head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, Viktor Yelenskyy, the DESS press service reports.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Olena Kovalska, Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine Ivan Verbytskyi, Director General of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” Maksym Ostapenko, as well as an OCU representative – Bishop Avraamiy of Boryspil.
Pechersk Lavra, which is planned to be marked in 2026. Issues were discussed regarding the Lavra’s further functioning and the coordination of actions between state structures and religious organizations.
Tetyana Berezhna stated the need for a “balanced approach” to combining the religious, cultural, and administrative components of life at the Lavra. According to her, the complex must remain a space of Ukrainian spirituality, culture, and historical heritage.
Following the meeting, participants noted the constructive nature of the dialogue and agreed on further interaction as part of preparations for the anniversary events.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the OCU called the new head of the President’s Office “one of its parishioners.”
