At the next session of the Ternopil Regional Council, an appeal will be initiated on the immediate transfer of the complex of buildings of the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra to the use of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. This was told by the chairman of the Ternopil Regional Council Mikhail Golovko, reports the publication “Ternopolyany“.

“On January 7, on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, a historic event for the Ukrainian people took place – for the first time in more than 300 years, a prayer in our native Ukrainian language sounded in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Special joy and elation reigned in the soul of every conscientious Ukrainian when Metropolitan Epifaniy, in an embroidered attire, celebrated the festive liturgy,” Mikhail Golovko said.

The Chairman of the Ternopil Regional Council noted that “now it is important to transfer another shrine to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine – the Pochaev Lavra.”

“VO “Svoboda” constantly fought for the ban of the Moscow church on the territory of Ukraine and for the return of all the shrines that were illegally transferred to the use of a hostile structure. We constantly demand to finally pay attention to the main Orthodox shrine in our region – the Pochaev Lavra. At the next session of the regional council, we will initiate an appeal for the immediate transfer of the complex of buildings of the Pochaev Holy Dormition Lavra to the use of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” Golovko said.

Also, the head of the regional council invited Epifaniy to hold a Divine Liturgy in the main Orthodox shrine of the Ternopil region.

“We call on the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy to terminate the lease agreement for the complex of buildings of the Pochaev Holy Dormition Lavra of the 18th-19th centuries, investigate the anti-Ukrainian activities of the clergy of the UOC-MP in our region, conduct an inventory of the property of the Lavra and immediately transfer the majestic shrine of the Ternopil region to the use of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine “, Mikhail Golovko emphasized.

“We sincerely invite Metropolitan Epifaniy to conduct the same historical, no less significant and long-awaited service in the majestic shrine of the Ternopil region – the Pochaev Lavra. May our main dream come true on these Christmas days – Victory and a just peace will come, and in every Ukrainian shrine, a prayer in the Ukrainian language sounds!” he added.