Metropolitan of Bulgarian Church condemns desecration of Lavra relics

Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech. Photo: Facebook page of the Diocese of Lovech

On 4 April 2025, Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church read out a letter from the Bulgarian clergy addressed to Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy at a priests' conference in the city of Troyan, reports the UOJ website in Bulgaria.

The letter, accepted by the clergy of the Troyan district, expressed deep sympathy over the barbaric seizure of St. Archangel Michael's Cathedral. The letter contains a call for punishment of the guilty and the return of the church to its rightful owners – the Cherkasy Eparchy led by Metropolitan Theodosiy.

The participants of the conference also prayed to God and the Kyiv-Pechersk saints to prevent further desecration of their holy relics and for the swift return of these sanctities to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the omophorion of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that a theologian from Greece appealed to the heads of the Churches over the sacrilege in the Lavra.

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.