Activist about Mercury of Caves: Out to Smolensk from our Ukrainian Lavra!
An OCU activist in the Near Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: spzh.news
On 24 August 2023, an excursion for war veterans and parishioners of the OCU was organised in the Near Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, reports one of the eyewitnesses of the excursion.
The participants were brought to the Lower Lavra by minibus.
One of the activists called on the authorities to remove the relics of St Mercurius of the Caves from the "Ukrainian Lavra" to Smolensk, as that is where, she said, "he belongs".
"Did he come here from Smolensk? Let him lie there in Smolensk. Why do we need him in the Ukrainian Lavra?" the woman asked in astonishment.
"As for the excursion. It was conducted for them by representatives of the Reserve. The excursion was very superficial. They did not tell the excursionists about the lives of the saints. They only said that some of the saints had their hands or feet visible," the source said.
He also noted that none of the visitors to the caves venerated the relics.
As reported, the Reserve has banned access to the Lower Lavra for everyone except monks.
Read also
Orthodox and Catholic bishops make joint visit to Mount Athos
The head of the Phanar blessed a joint pilgrimage to Mount Athos by Roman Catholic and Orthodox bishops.
UOC Kryvyi Rih Eparchy marks 30th anniversary
Metropolitan Yefrem led the anniversary Divine Liturgy in Kryvyi Rih.
Ostapenko: Everyone in UCCRO feels fine except the “FSB UOC”
The director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve called the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches “a wonderful organization.”
Khmelnytskyi Eparchy donates funds for treatment of 12-year-old girl
UOC believers raised UAH 20,000 for Anastasiia Mamchur as part of an eparchial charity campaign.
Shevchuk: We had to convince world UOC ban does not violate religious freedom
The UGCC head claims that by banning the UOC, the state is not violating religious freedom but merely protecting the Church’s faithful from Moscow propaganda.
Lavra reserve head estimates damage to Dormition Cathedral at €15 million
Maksym Ostapenko said restoring the Dormition Cathedral would take at least a couple of years and require major funding.