The head of the reserve named the number of the brotherhood residing in the Lavra
Maksym Ostapenko reported that about 140 monks of the UOC remain in the lower Lavra, despite the termination of the contract – the court case on appeal has been ongoing for three years.
About 140 monks and novices of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, whose contract has been terminated, continue to reside on the territory of the lower Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. This was stated by the head of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Nature Reserve, Maksym Ostapenko, at a briefing of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.
According to Ostapenko, the exact number of the brotherhood is difficult to determine, as monks and representatives of the monastery "come and go." Initially, representatives of the UOC provided a list of approximately 140 people who had been on the territory of the site after its seizure in 2023. "The relocation of any persons residing here under a contract can only be carried out by a court order," the head of the reserve emphasized.
The legal dispute between the state and the UOC brotherhood has been ongoing for three years: the case is currently at the appellate level and has not yet been considered on its merits. Ostapenko expressed hope that the court would ultimately resolve the dispute.
As the UOJ reported, the reserve, despite the ongoing litigation, is systematically seizing churches in the Lower Lavra.
