The Ukrainian newspaper Vesti reported citing a source in the administration, that the Ukrainian Presidential administration has instructed the management of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Museum and the Kremenets-Pochayev State Historical and Architectural Reserve to terminate the lease contract concluded with the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox communities through court.

Earlier, the press secretary of the Ukrainian non-canonical church structure, Yevstratiy Zorya, stated that the Kiev-Pechersk and Pochayev monasteries would sooner or later become part of the “new church” “without any violence or confrontation.”

“In the presidential administration, the leadership of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Museum and the Kremenets-Pochayev State Historical-Architectural Reserve were instructed to prepare lawsuits to the administrative courts in order to terminate the rent to the UOC communities,” the statement said.

According to the newspaper, in connection with the “sensitivity of the issue”, the process is conducted secretly so as not to get a negative public response.

Earlier, the Ukrainian authorities, including President Petro Poroshenko, said they did not intend to interfere in the affairs of the church, but they do it all the time. In particular, the SBU conducted searches in a number of dioceses, the UOC regarded them as an attempt to exert pressure. In addition, the canonical UOC has repeatedly reported on the oppression of clergy and the seizure of temples by representatives of non-canonical religious structures. In particular, for the years 2014-2016, the UOC lost 40 temples.

Source : RIA

Translation by Donbass Insider

Tags: Orthodox church, Ukraine