Political expert: Temples are created for prayer, not for craft studios

Ukrainian political analyst and historian Kostiantyn Bondarenko criticized the statement of the Minister of Culture Oleksandr Tkachenko about the possible opening of studios of folk art crafts or a rehabilitation center in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

“As for Tkachenko and his statements, this is not done with great intelligence,” Bondarenko said in an interview with journalist Oleksandr Shelest. “Tkachenko’s proposal is just mind-boggling. The temple was created in order to pray there, rather than open some craft studios, exhibitions whatever. The temple was originally meant for prayer. If you want to open rehabilitation centers or folk art studios, then please build them. Or use those premises that have already been built and are now essentially empty.”

Bondarenko advised the authorities "not to meddle in the religious sphere."

“The less the state gets into religion, the better it is for the state itself and for religion. Believers themselves will find the truth, they themselves will know where to go to pray, how to pray, whom to commemorate. And there is no need to add fuel to the fire so that this fire breaks out,” the political analyst emphasized.

As the UOJ reported, Kostiantyn Bondarenko warned the authorities that the religious conflict that is flaring up in Ukraine is very dangerous, and the fires of such conflicts are the most difficult to put out.