Expelling the Church from the Lavra: a course towards Soviet atheism?

On 9 August 2023, the Kyiv Economic Court ruled that the termination of the free use agreement concluded between the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra", under which the UOC used the Lavra's premises, was legal. The next day, the same court authorised the state to expel the monks from the Lavra. On 11 August, the Reserve banned believers from accessing the territory of the Lower Lavra. Later the Ministry of Culture expelled the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary from the territory of the Lavra. At the same time, the authorities are trying to squeeze out the believers who have been living there in recent weeks. They are blocking the transfer of water, food and medical supplies.

All of this resembles military tactics for besieging and capturing an enemy fortress. The only difference is that the enemy here isn't foreign adversaries, but the citizens of Ukraine, who are granted rights to freedom of religion by the Constitution.

Who is the owner of the Lavra?

Currently, the authorities of Ukraine are proclaiming loudly that the Lavra buildings belong to the state, and therefore it has the right to dispose of them at its discretion. But let's recall that the monastery became 'state-owned' less than 100 years ago. Moreover, it was essentially seized by the state, whose actions are widely recognised by present-day Ukraine as largely criminal. However, when it comes to the seizure of the Lavra, the memory of the current Ukrainian authorities suddenly fades away.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was founded in 1051 by St. Anthony and has always been the property of the Church since then, until September 29, 1926, when the Council of People's Commissars of the Ukrainian SSR adopted a resolution 'On Designating the Former Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra as a Historical and Cultural State Reserve and Transforming It into an All-Ukrainian Museum Town.' If decommunisation is underway in Ukraine, then, logically, the resolution of the People's Commissars Council of 1926 should be revoked, and the Lavra should be returned to its rightful owners. The rightful owners are the UOC, but someone might argue that the OCU disputes this title, and it's to the OCU that the state should return the Lavra. Without delving into evidence that the OCU has no rights to the Lavra, we'll just say that the state isn't even considering giving anything to it, as mentioned below.

It must be highlighted that in 1926 the Bolsheviks forcibly took the Lavra from the Church and handed it over to the organisation now known as the 'National Preserve 'Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra''. In other words, the current Reserve can rightfully be called the inheritor of the Bolsheviks, as it received rights to the monastery from the godless Soviet power. And now, this organisation is breaking the agreement on gratuitous use and expelling the Church, which is indeed the true owner of the monastery, from the Lavra. Moreover, it is doing so in such a legally crude manner that any impartial legal expert, let alone a judge, should recognize the illegality of such expulsion. However, the courts in Ukraine currently view the matter differently. One would like to believe that for the time being.

"The lawyer of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Fr Nikita Chekman, said that 'it was naive to expect a different decision when the entire administrative apparatus was involved in depriving the Monastery of the right to conduct religious activities'. Nevertheless, the illegality of this decision is evident. After all, the agreement on the gratuitous use of Lavra's property was unilaterally terminated by the Reserve under the pretext that the monastery 'maintained the property in an improper condition', thus 'violating the terms of the Agreement'.

The Reserve did not provide any evidence for this claim, nor could it because there was none. However, there is a vast amount of evidence to the contrary. Anyone can visit the Lavra and see how carefully the monastery treated the Lavra's assets, how the churches and other premises were literally restored from ruins, with not a single penny of state money being spent on it. Even anti-church channels in their reports from the Lavra show how much better the Lower Lavra, where the monastery is located, looks compared to the Upper Lavra, where the Reserve is in charge.

The state of the Lavra as it was received by the monastery after the USSR. Photo: The UOC Educational Department

The current state of the Lavra. Photo: wikipedia.org

It is even surprising that the Kyiv Economic Court dared to refute such an obvious state of affairs. We would like to believe that the appeal instance will change this decision. But while the appellate review of the case is underway, the decision of the Economic Court has not entered into legal force, which means that the agreement on gratuitous use is considered valid. However, despite this, further lawlessness takes place.

Expulsion from the Lower Lavra

Representatives of the Reserve and law enforcement agencies seal off the Lavra's buildings and block access to the monastery. However, government officials were involved in such actions even before the Economic Court's decision.

For instance, on April 19, 2023, a commission from the Ministry of Culture forcefully broke into building 39 of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra using a crowbar and a grinder, as reported by one of the monks. According to him, government representatives used a grinder to cut locks and then sealed the premises. 'This was all done with grinders and without any documents. The police are protecting these lawbreakers, and the '1+1' TV channel is filming them,' the Lavra monk said.

Then, on July 6, 2023, an actual seizure of the Lavra occurred. It resembled a military operation. The day before, government officials announced that access to the Lower Lavra would only begin at 9:00 in the morning. However, at 6:00, the police already blocked the entrance, and armed red berets entered the Lavra. Believers who were present in the Lavra were blocked. Government representatives started breaking into the monastery's buildings. Those who tried to prevent this lawlessness (it should be noted all of this was happening without any court decision or authorisation from a competent body) were pulled away from the doors, and some were forcefully detained. Even women who tried to protect the Lavra were treated harshly. In the end, the armed forces took control of building 70, the residence of His Beatitude Onuphry, where they broke doors and changed locks. The same was done to buildings 69 and 71.

On the same day, July 6, 2023, authorities announced that the Lavra would be closed until 11 o'clock. Because of this, everyone who came for the liturgy at the Lavra's Agapitus of the Caves Church had to stand outside the fence and receive Holy Communion through the bars.

Communion in the Lavra through the bars. Photo: A video screenshot of the UOC press service

Moreover, the Constitution of Ukraine clearly states that citizens have the right to 'freely conduct individual or collective religious worship and ritual practices, engage in religious activities'. Yes, this right has limitations, but they must, firstly, be outlined in the law and, secondly, there must be a real threat to public order, health, morality, or the rights and freedoms of other individuals. In this case, however, we witnessed a blatant disregard for the norms of the Constitution.  And this is happening in a country that aspires to join the European Union!

No entry to seminarians and His Beatitude Onuphry

On 11 August 2023, the Reserve staff, along with law enforcement officers, sealed Lavra's hotel buildings 54 and 58 where the pilgrims were staying.

Believers reading prayers in the blocked buildings of the Lavra. Photo: Channel 24

They were warned that once out of the buildings they would not be able to return. Lists of those who are allowed to enter the Lavra were drawn up. They didn't include ... the Primate of the UOC His Beatitude Onuphry and Metropolitan Anthony.

Metropolitan Clement, the Chairman of the UOC Synodal Information and Education Department, said that the Ministry of Culture represented by the Reserve created lists of persons who can be admitted to the territory of the Lavra. These lists included only clergy monks and did not include seminarians and other novices of the monastery, as well as Metropolitan Onuphry. "Also, access to the territory of the Lavra is prohibited to the Primate of the UOC Metropolitan Onuphry and the UOC Chancellor Metropolitan Anthony," Metropolitan Clement said.

In addition, Vladyka Clement noted that law enforcers blocked several warehouses where food is stored. "On the Lavra's territory, there are cellars where food is stored. A few days ago, law enforcers cordoned off these premises and now we have no access to these warehouses," he said. What do you call a situation when the authorities deprive people of access to food?

Moreover, while His Beatitude Onuphry is not allowed to enter the Lavra, the "acting abbot of the OCU Lavra" Avraamy Lotysh was able to enter the residence of Metropolitan Onuphry (building 70 of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra) unhindered on 15 August 2023, having torn off the seal of the Reserve from the door.

Lotysh opening the doors to Metropolitan Onuphry's residence in the Lavra. Photo: Telegram channel "Pramikha"

It's noteworthy that Lotysh had keys to the building. Law enforcement did not hinder his actions.

On August 18, 2023, the Ministry of Culture sent letters to the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary, stating that the teachers, students, and staff of KDAiS are considered visitors to the Lavra, and therefore they have no access to the monastery's territory and the Academy's buildings. On August 25, 2023, the Ministry confirmed its position by rejecting the request of KDAiS students and teachers for unrestricted access to the educational buildings.

Meanwhile, despite the Church being expelled from the Lavra, the Reserve's administration insists that the UOC continues to pay all utility bills.

The tactic of gradually pushing the UOC out of the Lavra is slowly bearing fruit. The Lavra is becoming empty, and no one but the Church, by and large, needs it as a sacred object.

The Empty Lavra

The service of the OCU on the eve of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord at the Refectory Church of the Lavra was illustrative. More than half a year ago, the UOC was expelled from there. Earlier on this day, there was no room to move, and thousands of believers prayed during the worship. However, in 2023, when "acting abbot of the Lavra of the OCU" Avraamy Lotysh led the festive All-Night Vigil, the scene looked like this.

Festive "worship" of the OCU on the Feast of the Lord’s Transfiguration at the Lavra's Refectory Church. Photo: UOJ

The spokesperson for the OCU, Ivan (Eustratiy) Zoria, responded quite uniquely to this apparent disgrace. He stated that the desire for a "mass gathering" is one of the signs of the "Russian world" while his "Ukrainian Church" is devoid of such a deficiency. "When Christ was crucified, the crowd shouted 'Crucify him'. When Christ resurrected, there were only a few people as witnesses," Zoria said. A rather unsuccessful attempt to somehow explain why Ukrainian citizens do not wish to visit the churches that have been "liberated" from the UOC.

In late June 2023, the then Minister of Culture, Oleksandr Tkachenko, claimed that the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra had supposedly been "closed to Ukrainians for a very long time," but now the ministry is imbuing it with Ukrainian meanings that have been there "since its foundation”. According to the minister, "the Lavra is becoming Ukrainian". The disgrace of the empty Refectory Church during the OCU's service on the Feast of the Transfiguration vividly demonstrated the misconceptions of the former minister. Thousands of Ukrainians went to the Lavra when, according to his words, it was "closed" to them, and for some reason, they chose not to go when O. Tkachenko and others like him opened it.

"Reprofiling" the Lavra

Speaking seriously, it is already obvious to everyone that no one needs the OCU in Lavra. Not even the Reserve. The authorities have completely different plans for the Lavra.

At the end of July 2023, former Minister of Culture O. Tkachenko said in an interview with the BBC that the significance of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra lies in its location between the Holodomor Museum and the "Motherland" Monument, i.e., two objects of public historical, but not religious, importance. The official revealed that the "museum management has developed a concept for a new vision of the modern Lavra as a cultural, educational, and spiritual centre, designed for many years to come".

According to him, under his leadership, the "Lavra has started to come alive, concerts of spiritual music are being organized on its territory, exhibitions are being held, plans for completing the construction of the Mazepa Church and creating the Mazepa Museum there are in place." The last words give away the authorities' true intentions concerning the Lavra, as they even plan to complete the construction of the "Mazepa Church" to house a museum. Earlier, O. Tkachenko mentioned a desire to turn the Lavra into a centre for folk crafts. Additionally, according to the former minister's opinion, "there is a splendid place on the Lavra's territory for a Heroes' Pantheon." We don't dispute that a Heroes' Pantheon should exist in Ukraine, as it does in many other countries, but that wasn't the purpose for which St. Anthony of the Caves founded the Lavra.

Another secular project, the discussion of which is already underway, involves creating a rehabilitation centre for military personnel within the Lavra. Back in May 2023, the acting director of the Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" M. Ostapenko, held talks with paramedic Yulia Paevska (known as "Tayra") about establishing a rehabilitation centre for Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers on the Lower Lavra's territory. They even inspected specific premises (which had been restored by the UOC) to consider their transfer to the military. In August 2023, during a press briefing, he reiterated this idea, stating that he was taking away buildings from the monastery to house prisoners-of-war and wounded soldiers in need of "spiritual rehabilitation". According to him, the state currently lacks such facilities (???), but the Lavra has hotels that can be "used for the needs of military personnel, the wounded, and POWs."

What we are witnessing today is Atheism 2.0

This is not an exaggeration, as the authorities are following the exact steps of the Bolsheviks. Again, we don't argue that military personnel, and not only them, need rehabilitation. However, we've already gone through all of this in the 1920s under Soviet rule. Exactly a hundred years ago, in 1923, the Bolsheviks established a rehabilitation centre for revolution invalids and those affected by the fronts of the Civil War in the Lavra, which was called the Invalid Town. Additionally, in the Lavra, there was the Museum of Cults and Daily Life, a prosthetic factory, a production cooperative, vocational courses for the disabled, and a range of other scientific and educational institutions. More details can be found in the article "Expelling the Church from the Lavra: Striking Parallels with the 20th Century".

What came out of all this in the end? Nothing good. All these institutions sank into oblivion, and the Lavra itself was handed over to the Church in 1988 in a state of disrepair.

Destroyed Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: segodnya.ua

Yes, the Dormition Cathedral was blown up by the Germans in 1941, but everything else was the work of the authorities of the then Soviet Ukraine. Again, despite the fact that in the 1920s the Bolsheviks promoted the project of the so-called Renovationist Church, people did not go there, just as they do not go to the OCU today (see the photo from Lotysh's service).

If God does allow the complete expulsion of the Church from the Lavra, we can assume that numerous secular institutions will settle there. Although not without the possibility that some premises will be given to Avraamy Lotysh and a few OCU priests. Such a possibility was mentioned by O. during his tenure as Minister of Culture. But it is clear to everyone that the OCU lacks both personnel and financial resources to at least maintain the Lavra in the favourable condition that the UOC has brought it to, let alone further restoration efforts. But will secular institutions take proper care of the religious shrine of the Ukrainian people? The question is rhetorical. The results of such care in the XX century are evident.

It can be assumed that the Lavra will end up in the same state to which the Bolsheviks brought it and from which it was raised by the monks and believers of the UOC. Last time it took 60 years to revive the Church there. How much God will allow this time, we cannot know. But we have no doubt that the Lavra will once again be a place where both the brotherhood and the people of God can pray freely.