Head of Donetsk RMA promises to help Sviatogorsk Lavra to move to OCU

The head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko said that the authorities will facilitate the transition of the Sviatogorsk Lavra to the OCU, reports ukrinform.ua.

"We will facilitate the deployment of the OCU on the territory of the region, allocate land plots, restore the ability to hold services," the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration said.

According to him, the Sviatogorsk Lavra, which is located on the territory of the Donetsk region, has not yet legally transferred to the OCU, it is a complex ongoing process.

"Legally (the Sviatogorsk Lavra – Ed.) has not transferred (to the OCU – Ed.) yet. There is a legal difference in the paperwork and ownership of the Sviatogorsk Lavra. If we compare, for example, with the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, according to my information, the clergymen of the Sviatogorsk Lavra are not going to move voluntarily. We have provided all necessary documents to the Ministry of Culture and law enforcement agencies", Kyrylenko said.

"I believe that everything should be done according to the law, honour and conscience. This process of church transition is a long one and it is being dealt with. We are in full communication with the relevant ministry, and we will give everything that is necessary, of course, and facilitate it," he added.

"We have to understand the distress of the Moscow Patriarchate with its clergy, who definitely are not in the full sense of the word clergy, through whom people can come with their burdens and problems and turn to God," Kyrylenko resumed.

As reported, a video of the Sviatogorsk Lavra, which suffered from shelling, has been posted on the Internet.