Honorable fathers! Dear brothers and sisters, dear fellow citizens!
In connection with current events related to the Holy Dormition
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, I consider it necessary to provide an explanation
of a number of issues.
First of all, it must be emphasized that there is no thought of
closing the monastery, or of suspension of prayer, services, or monastic
life within it. Comparing the current situation broadly with past
persecution by the Communist authorities against the Church or
specifically to the two times the monastery was closed by them is
baseless manipulation. This sounds especially cynical coming from the
lips of a hierarch who was closely connected with the Communist Party,
one who even sought to be nominated for an elected position on its
behalf. (...)
