Epiphanius: We will go through it and Ukrainian prayer to be heard in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

Epiphanius, the primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, has stated that on 2 December, “an important step was taken to bring back the Ukrainian prayer” to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (the Monastery of the Caves).

Source: Epiphanius’s statement on Facebook

Details: On 2 December, the OCU announced that the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was registered as part of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. At the same time, Oleksandr Tkachenko, Ukraine’s Minister of Culture, explained that it was not about the transfer of the Lavra from the UOC-MP to the OCU.

The primate of OCU reacted to this event:

Quote from Epiphanius:

“Today, [2 December – ed.] we laid one of the cornerstones in the strong foundation of the Local Church; we took a significant step to bring back Ukrainian prayer to our national shrine: the Pechersk Lavra.

I understand the emotions of many. Someone rejoices as if all issues have already been resolved. But many questions really need answers and solutions.

Someone is indignant because they want everything to be resolved already. But the importance of what happened should not be underestimated: today the Ukrainian Lavra has really acquired subjectivity, although for now it is like a newborn baby.

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We will pass this way peacefully, calmly, and confidently. And in the shrine of our people, a daily prayer in our native language will finally be heard: for victory, for just peace, for the expulsion of the Russian aggressors and for the sake of Ukraine.”

Background:

• During the past weeks, the Security Service of Ukraine conducted a number of searches on the premises of the UOC-MP in Kyiv and many oblasts. The searches are related to the propaganda of the so-called “Russian world” in churches of the UOC-MP. Some priests have been notified that they were under suspicion. 
• The National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) of Ukraine instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to propose that the Verkhovna Rada [the Ukrainian Parliament] institute a ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate [UOC-MP], and also initiated a review of the legality of the UOC-MP’s presence at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (the Monastery of the Caves).
• On 1 December, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put into effect personal sanctions against representatives of religious organisations affiliated with centres of influence in the Russian…