"Bishop" of OCU: UGCC's claim to Pochaiv is the same as Poles' claim to Lviv
The Ternopil "bishop" of the OCU said that the UGCC's claims to the Pochaiv Lavra "hinder the establishment of a unified local Church and sow discord among Ukrainians."
"Holy Archimandrite" of the "Pochaiv Lavra of the OCU" Nestor Pysyk said in an interview with journalist V. Kasian that Pochaiv is an Orthodox, not a Uniate region, and all the claims of the UGCC to the monastery will only lead to quarrels, misunderstandings and conflicts.
According to him, the UGCC's desire to take possession of the Pochaiv Lavra is unlawful, despite all the arguments of the Uniates that historically they were masters in Pochaiv for some time.
"Claims can be different. If you just refer to the history that was once there, it's like saying that Ukrainians claim Peremyshl and Chelm, and Poles claim Lviv and Ternopil," Pysyk said.
According to him, the Uniates "can claim a lot of things, but let's be frank: Volyn, to which Pochaiv historically belongs, is an Orthodox, not a Uniate region."
Pysyk reminded the Greek Catholics that "all of their ancient monasteries, the Univska Lavra, for example, began as Orthodox monasteries and were founded by the Orthodox."
He said that the OCU has no claim to these monasteries now, but made it clear that if the Uniates continue their claims to Pochaiv, things could change.
"In my opinion, the question of the Pochaiv Lavra's belonging is now being raised more for the sake of dissent. And whom serves those sowing dissent – let our readers decide," concluded the "bishop".
As reported by the UOJ, the head of the UGCC, Shevchuk, said that his structure hopes to gain control over the Pochaiv Lavra.
