Pavlo, a former monk of the Lavra, called the destruction of the shrine the work of the devil
The former abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavlo (Lebid) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), commented on the aftermath of the Russian strike on the monastery grounds and the condition of the Lavra following the change in its administration.
In his statement, Pavlo called the destruction of the churches a tragedy for believers and declared that, in his opinion, it was not human will but the “devil” behind it.
“It is a tragedy when churches are destroyed in any Local Church. The people who think they are doing this—it is the devil who has abandoned Christ, His Church, and the faithful,” he said.
The Metropolitan also spoke sharply about the changes at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra following the transfer of some of its facilities to the management of the state reserve. He described the current state of the monastery as:
“emptiness, filth, and decay.”
According to Pavlo, actions are allegedly taking place at the Lavra that he considers unacceptable for a sacred space.
He addressed the monks remaining on the monastery grounds separately, urging them not to leave the Lavra.
“Don’t go anywhere. Stay in the monastery, pray, and keep the faith,” the metropolitan said.
Pavlo’s statements came after yet another round of damage caused by Russian strikes on Kyiv, particularly in areas with historical and religious sites.
He made this statement in a video address on his YouTube channel.
Russia’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO stated that the Russian Federation allegedly adheres to the provisions of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property and does not strike civilian infrastructure. The statement was published in response to reports of a strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Earlier, the head of the OCU called the Russian strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra a crime against Christianity
Russia claimed to have struck a dozen Ukrainian factories, terminals, and airfields during a nighttime bombardment
Ukraine is initiating urgent procedures at UNESCO over the Russian strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra
After destroying the Lavra, Russia is spreading its usual fake news about Ukraine’s allegedly ineffective air defense.
The Russian military’s attack on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and the damage to the Assumption Cathedral have sparked a wave of outrage online. Users recalled previous statements by Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan that Moscow would allegedly not strike Orthodox holy sites. The latest shelling of Kyiv has prompted criticism of such claims as part of Russian propaganda.
