Director of Pochaiv Reserve receives order from Dumenko

"Bishop" of the OCU Tykhon Petraniuk and director of the reserve Vasyl Ilchyshyn. Photo: Facebook of the Kremenets-Pochaiv Reserve

On May 29, 2026, the Kremenets-Pochaiv State Historical and Architectural Reserve celebrated the 25th anniversary of its founding. On this occasion, the management held a series of scientific and cultural events, including an excursion-practical module on the territory of the Pochaiv Holy Dormition Lavra, reports the Reserve on its Facebook page.

Participants, including museum workers and scholars, discussed problems of preservation and restoration of sacred monuments of Volyn during wartime. The program also included a workshop on reserve objects, during which representatives of cultural institutions discussed further cooperation.

During the celebrations, "Archbishop" Tykhon of the OCU, with the blessing of Epifaniy Dumenko, presented the director of the Reserve Vasyl Ilchyshyn with the Order of St, Great Martyr George the Victorious. The event was also attended by heads of national reserves "Saint Sophia of Kyiv," and "Hetman Capital," and other official persons.

As the UOJ reported, the reserve officials told diplomats about the "deeply European roots" of the Lavra, while museum staff called the monastery's belonging to the Russian spiritual tradition a "distortion of reality."

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