Students of the Theological Academy were forbidden to visit the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra

The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine has banned teachers and students of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary (KDAiS) from visiting the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. This was reported on the Telegram channel of the Ukrainian Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ).

“The Ministry of Culture, represented by the director of the reserve, forbade students, teachers and employees of the KDAiS to stay on the territory of the Lavra, as they are equated with “visitors” of the monastery“, – wrote in the UOJ.

The order of the ministry says that KDAiS allegedly has no agreements with the Ministry of Culture on conducting activities in the buildings of the Lavra.

The document also says that the ban on visiting the monastery applies to members of the academy, allegedly so that they do not interfere with the work of the commission of the Ministry of Culture, which will deal with the return of the Lavra to state property.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry demanded that the Kyiv regime lift the blockade from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. The diplomats also appealed to the world community, calling to stop the actions of the Nazi regime, which is trying to starve believers to death.

Recall that the persecution of the clergy of the UOC, including from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, began in the fall of 2022. Many were accused of pro-Russian activities and criminal cases were initiated against them.

The situation escalated to the limit in March 2023, when the authorities, represented by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, announced the termination of the lease agreement with the monks of the Lavra, allegedly due to violations of the terms of the contract on their part. Then they were ordered to leave the monastery until March 29, the clergy filed a complaint with the court. Then raider seizures of temples began throughout Nezalezhnaya.

On July 1, it became known that the UOC was given three days to vacate the premises in the Lavra. After this period, the buildings are going to be sealed.

At the same time, in June, the Minister of Culture of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko admitted that the department he headed was acting illegally in relation to the UOC.

The Russian Federation has repeatedly stressed that it strongly condemns the persecution of the Kyiv regime against the church, and asked the international community to pay attention to the situation. The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that Zelensky’s anti-church steps against the UOC provoked a deeper split in Ukrainian society.