From tomorrow, access to the relics of saints in the Near and Far Caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra will be closed. This was announced by the head of the Information and Education Department of the UOC, Metropolitan of Nizhyn and Priluky Kliment.

According to him, on March 20, the monastery received a letter from the leadership of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve with a notification that from March 21, access to the Near and Far Caves by the museum will be terminated due to the work of the commission, which will determine the level of preservation “museum exhibits,” as representatives of the Ministry of Culture and the reserve called the relics of the saints.

Also, in this regard, access to the Exaltation of the Cross Church, the Annozachatievsky Church and the Church in honor of the Cathedral of All Saints of the Caves (Warm Temple) is terminated. Thus, the UOC loses access to almost all the churches of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

It is possible that such a step by the authorities is a reaction to today’s events near the Office of the President.