The Christmas service of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epiphany, began in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Minister of Culture and Information Policy Alexander Tkachenko revealed the details of obtaining permission.
On the air of the national telethon, Alexander Tkachenko said, “whether it will be a one-time action, or now forever.” Transmits channel 24.
Tkachenko: All processes are carried out within the framework of the law
According to him, the resolution of the agreement is stolen for today, for the Christmas service from 8 to 12 o'clock.
He also stressed that the Assumption Cathedral and the Refectory Church of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra belong to the state.
According to him, the reproaches of the UOC-MP that during the war it was impossible to take away are unfounded, because the agreement to rent the Assumption Cathedral and the Refectory Church in the Upper Lavra was temporary.
Assumption Cathedral both belonged and still belongs to the Ukrainian state! – stressed the head of the ICIP.
There was no attempt to seize the Assumption Cathedral by force, as the UOC-MP spoke about it, all processes are taking place within the framework of the law, he stressed.
Historical event
On January 5, Minister of Culture Oleksandr Tkachenko announced that the Assumption Cathedral and the Refectory Church of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra were officially returned to public use, and the UOC-MP Lavra's abbot Pavel (Lebed) did not appear at the signing of the act of returning religious buildings.
It should be noted that the UOC-MP previously stated that the alleged rector of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epiphanius, does not have the right to celebrate the Christmas service in the Assumption Cathedral. Therefore, representatives of this church consider it “an attempt to seize the Assumption Cathedral by force.”
Note! The primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epiphanius at 9 am for the first time began to celebrate the service on the occasion of the Nativity of Christ in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
This is the first ever liturgy of the Primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
The HCU noted that “this historic event will take place with God's help thanks to public support and understanding from the state.”
Christmas service in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and the surrounding area is guarded by the police.
