Tkachenko refers to relics of Venerable as "exhibits" to be inspected

Relics of St. Agapitus of the Kyiv Caves Lavra. Photo: lavra.ua

Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko said on air of the "1+1" TV channel that a separate revision of museum exhibits, including the relics of saints, is planned to be carried out at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

"I would like to stress just in case that besides immovable property there are also museum exhibits – more than 800 items, including relics of saints, which were transferred for, so to speak, the use by monks. A revision will be carried out regarding their preservation," said Tkachenko.

The official noted that the last time this procedure was carried out was in 2018 and added that all property is documented, and all objects are listed, so any steps UOC representatives may take with regard to the movable property will have criminal liability.

As previously reported, on 10 March 2023, the UOC received a warning from the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" to vacate the monastery buildings by 29 March. The justification for such a demand was the conclusions of an interdepartmental working group that the monastery violated the terms of the agreement on the use of state property.

As the UOJ wrote earlier, the UOC is being expelled from Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

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