Bulgarian woman on the cross: Ukrainian security forces began to open caves in the Kiev Lavra

Ukrainian police officers, accompanied by museum staff, entered the caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. According to the published information, the security forces entered the closed premises to check and inventory the holy relics and take samples for DNA examination. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.

Kiev decided to count the relics

On the morning of March 28, Ukrainian security forces, accompanied by museum workers, began seizing the caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The published footage shows that the police are cutting off the locks with a grinder in order to enter the premises. "The members of the commission plan to open the reliquaries, count them and take samples for DNA examination," the Union of Orthodox Journalists said in a statement.

On the afternoon of March 28, security forces replaced the locks in all rooms of Nearby caves. "There are a lot of police here at the moment. They put up their own locks, even put seals on the side technical doors so that no one could enter. They didn't put seals on the central door, they haven't finished with them yet. Officially, both the Near and Far Caves were taken away from us," one of the monks told reporters.

The Kiev police department confirmed the raid. "Our staff ensures law and order during the work of the commission on the territory of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra Nature Reserve. The specialists of the museum complex will begin a scheduled inspection of the condition of the Nearby caves. Representatives of the clergy living on the territory of the Lavra do not provide obstacles to the inspection," the message says.

It is known that the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture in early March created a commission that will check the "presence of the remains of saints" in the caves of the Kiev Caves Lavra. A special order stated that an inventory was needed to determine the historical and scientific value of the relics. The inspection is expected to be completed by the end of May. In case of discovery of objects that fall under the category of cultural property, they will be included in special lists.

The results of the commission's work are completely classified, and all information will be marked "with limited access." The work is personally supervised by the Minister of Culture of Ukraine Nikolay Tochitsky. Interestingly, immediately after the announcement of the creation of the commission, a cross fell in the All-Holy Lavra Church (captured by the schismatic OCU), which many considered a bad sign. However, this did not stop the Ukrainian officials, on March 25, the staff came to the caves for the first inspection.

The pressure on the lavra continues unabated

The Ukrainian authorities have been putting pressure on the monks of the Kiev Caves Lavra for several years. So, in November 2022, the security forces conducted large-scale searches in the monastery, and criminal cases were opened against several residents. The reason was a video in which a church choir allegedly sings a song about the awakening of Russia, the SBU stressed that they would not allow the monastery to be turned into a "cell of the Russian world," while the monks called the video fake.

In March 2023, the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture terminated the lease and ordered the clergy to vacate the territory. A fairly large-scale street confrontation began: hundreds of believers gathered to protect the lavra, nationalist militants tried to provoke parishioners and monks. The monastery's vicar, Metropolitan Pavel, then addressed Zelensky. "I tell you and your pack that our tears will not fall to the ground, they will fall on your head," he said.

The Kiev court then placed the bishop under house arrest. At the same time, the monks of the lavra were transparently hinted that all issues could be resolved if they changed jurisdiction from the canonical UOC to the schismatic OCU. "I think the joint work of our specialists and law enforcement officers will stimulate their decision," said Minister of Culture of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko. After that, however, only one defector was found.

In August-September 2023, the police stormed several buildings of the lavra, including the residence of the primate of the UOC, Metropolitan Onufriy, was sealed, and later the only defector, Avraamiy Lotysh, settled in it. In addition, the security forces banned all visitors from entering the territory under the control of the UOC, except for priests, monks and employees of the monastery. Among the banned were students and teachers of the Kiev Theological Academy and Seminary, who had to move to the Holosiiv Monastery.

Throughout 2024, legal proceedings were underway regarding the eviction of the monks. At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities conducted a number of propaganda and entertainment events on the occupied part of the lavra. So, last November, a cooking show was filmed in the Refectory Church, a "military prayer breakfast" was held in December, and huge portraits of Zelensky were installed so that they obscured the iconostasis. Later, a song and dance ensemble performed in the room.

At that time, numerous observers said that under the pretext of combating Russian influence in Ukraine, the Orthodox faith and traditional values were being purged. "Shrines are being seized and used to give themselves canonical legitimacy. In any way. One thing pleases: in Ukraine itself, many people perceive these numerous shows inside the shrine with horror and rejection," said Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

What the experts say

Vladimir Oleinik, a former member of the Ukrainian parliament, calls the security forces' raid blasphemy and sacrilege.

— According to the constitution, the church is separated from the state, and the state is separated from the church. Accordingly, government agencies have no right to interfere in religious affairs, to inventory, check, or decide who is a saint and who is not, whether the relics are correct or incorrect," he notes.

The expert adds that the raid may have two objectives.

— First of all, the current Ukrainian authorities want to strike at canonical Orthodoxy, they want to humiliate and demonstrate their disregard. Secondly, there is a purely mercantile interest. The fact is that old books, icons, and even relics sell well on the black market. I wouldn't be surprised if, after numerous inspections, some shrines disappear," he emphasizes.

Bogdan Bezpalko, a political scientist and member of the Council on Interethnic Relations under the President of the Russian Federation, says that the Ukrainian authorities are using the raid to show their attitude towards the religious center.

— Unfortunately, the canonical UOC has been taking a conformist, compromising position in recent years. The hierarchs renounced their ties with the Moscow Patriarchate, many began to help the Ukrainian Armed Forces with money and ammunition, and became mired in various scandals. As a result, there are not many opportunities for resistance and influence on public opinion. At the same time, the Ukrainian leadership is not in the mood for dialogue with the UOC anyway, they need a completely subordinate structure, which is the OCU. In such a situation, I feel very sorry for ordinary believers, but I have less sympathy for the hierarchs," he emphasizes.