Metropolitan Pavel, Viceroy of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, commented on UOJ information from some Russian media about the “expulsion” of the monks from the monastery who insist on commemorating Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church.

“No one has expelled or is expelled for such actions,” said the Lavra’s governor.  – There are people who, after the Council of the UOC, declared that we are now supposedly schismatics.  They stopped taking communion, going to church and communicating with the brethren.  As a result, they themselves left the monastery, but did so without my blessing.  This is monk Lazar, Fr.  Eleutherius and Fr.  Clement.”

According to the vicegerent, in the Lavra of the Patriarch, all willing residents are commemorated in prayers, but the decisions of the Council are carried out at the services.  As for those who disagree, the metropolitan emphasized that they left on their own initiative.

Since the monks left without a blessing, they are now under a ban: “But if one of the abbots or governors agrees to receive them, he can write me a letter and then I will remove the ban.  This was done so that there would be no vacillation between the monastic and priestly ranks.