The authorities quickly resumed access to the caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra due to the great public outcry caused by their closure. This was stated by the head of the Information and Educational Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Kliment.

He recalled that on March 20, the monastery received a letter from the leadership of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra reserve stating that the caves and three temples of the monastery were closed for an indefinite period in connection with the work of the commission to check the safety of “cultural values”. The hierarchy of the UOC made this information public, in particular, in order to warn numerous believers who, due to reports of the threat of the closure of the Lavra, are striving to bow to the holy relics these days.

“This, of course, caused a resonance – and not only in the religious environment, and not only in Ukraine – therefore, very soon the reserve published information that all this examination was short-lived, that is, it would pass in a day, and the caves would be reopened,” – said Metropolitan Kliment.

The bishop predicts that the reaction of society to the expulsion of the UOC from the Lavra announced by the authorities will be much more extensive.