Abbot: We were handed a new letter demanding to leave the Lavra

The brethren of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra received a new order to vacate Building No. 34. Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshhorod, the abbot of the Lavra, stated this in an appeal published by the press service of the monastery.

The hierarch noted that the monks reconstructed the building from the ruins and would not be evicted either from it or from any other building of the monastery.

“Who are the director of the museum and the minister of culture? Just ordinary people like us. They must respect the rule of law and have a little fear of God. There is no court ruling,” he said.

Metropolitan Pavel also commented on the rumors that appeared in social networks that President Zelenskyy had allegedly instructed to leave the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and its monks in peace.

“Do not flatter yourself that someone has left us alone. Especially since I received another letter today for us to move out. What are we talking about? They just want to ‘lull’ us so that we don’t say anything, don’t take any action, just listen to new promises that are not being fulfilled at all,” he added.

The bishop recalled that a lot of monks live on the territory of the Lavra, who came to the monastery immediately after its opening in 1988: “Where can we place 200 people who came here 35 years ago? Who prayed, served, cleaned, restored, replenished the sacristy, looked after the relics."

As reported by the UOJ, the UOC is being expelled from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.