The Pochaiv Lavra Has Been Granted an Extension to Sever Ties with the Russian Orthodox Church
The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience has granted the Pochaiv Holy Dormition Lavra an additional 60 days to comply with the order to rectify violations of the law.
According to Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service, the order contains two main requirements. The Lavra must withdraw from the Kyiv Metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which Ukrainian law recognizes as affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), and its vicar, Metropolitan Volodymyr Moroz, must terminate his membership in the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Lavra requested an extension, explaining that the decision to withdraw from the Metropolis cannot be made unilaterally by the vicar. To do so, a spiritual council must be convened. In addition, some of the materials from the State Service for Religious Affairs (DES), which are intended to confirm ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, were submitted in Russian and therefore need to be translated.
If, after the additional 60 days have elapsed, the order has not been complied with and the ecclesiastical council adopts a different decision, the DESC will recognize the religious organization as affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church and file a lawsuit seeking its dissolution.
Source: Viktor Yelensky, DESC, in a comment to Ukrinform
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra will partially resume operations following emergency repairs.
As a reminder, Russia attacked the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, causing a fire.
