UOC Hierarch Condemns Ukrainian Authorities Over 'Demonic Desecration'
Metropolitan of Zaporozhye denounces actions at Kyiv Caves Lavra and warns of sacrilege disguised as culture.
MELITOPOL — His Eminence Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has issued a sharp rebuke of Ukrainian government officials and museum workers over the reported mishandling of relics at the Kyiv Caves Lavra.
Photographs recently surfaced showing state museum employees removing reliquaries with saints’ relics from the churches, carrying them outdoors, and stacking them carelessly in a storage space. Met. Luke condemned the treatment as “satanism” and “demonic mockery of the shrine.”
The hierarch accused state authorities of hypocrisy, contrasting them with the Bolsheviks, who “at least honestly declared: ‘we are godless’ and openly waged war against the Church.” By contrast, he said today’s officials “cover themselves with words about ‘faith in God,’ portray themselves as believers, but in reality act worse than their ideological teachers, because they are hypocritical and try to legalize sacrilege.”
The Metropolitan also reacted to reports that the authorities are preparing UNESCO documentation to register the first service by Epiphany Dumenko, head of the schismatic church, at the Lavra as “intangible cultural heritage.” He warned that while earthly institutions may celebrate such acts, “in the Heavenly books they are blasphemers and betrayers of Christ.”
Met. Luke concluded his statement by reminding the faithful that “God is not mocked” and urging Orthodox Christians to remain steadfast. Current events represent a test of faith for the Church’s children, he said, but we are called to more firmly confess Christ, as our fathers did in times of persecution.
The full statement from His Eminence, shared by orthochristian.com, is below:
Christ is in our midst, my dear readers!
Innovations of hell in the heart of the Lavra
Modern non-Christians call this “creation,” “innovations,” and “spirituality,” but in reality, blasphemy is being committed with the relics of the venerable Kyiv Caves saints of God. The Bolsheviks at least honestly declared, “we are godless,” and openly waged war against the Church. They destroyed churches and treated holy things with contempt, not hiding their hatred of Christ. But the current wicked ones cover themselves with words about “faith in God,” portraying themselves as believers, but in reality act worse than their ideological teachers, because they are hypocritical and try to legalize sacrilege.
In her latest interview, the director of the preserve states that they are “building something new for the good of the country.” But can blasphemy have creative power? No! Everything built on the trampling of holy things inevitably collapses. You cannot erect a temple of new life upon the bones of saints—you’ll only get a whitewashed sepulcher, wrapped in words about “development,” which appears beautiful on the outside but inside is full of all manner of filth (cf. Mt. 23:27).
She speaks of the “intersection of spirituality, culture and innovations” in the Lavra. Where is the spirituality here? True spirituality can only be from God. But where the relics of God’s saints are desecrated, the light of Christ is being covered with an alien, demonic so-called spirituality, which destroys everyone and everything. And “innovations?” This is not culture, but pure satanism—blasphemous mockery of holy things, covered with a mask of modernity.
Moreover, the director proudly declares about “spiritual support from the new inhabitants of the Lavra.” But where are these “supporters”? Why are they not with the relics? Where is prayer, tears of repentance, at least a shadow of reverence? Their “support” is silent consent to abomination. This is not spiritual help, but complicity in darkness. The fruits of such “spirituality” are outright demonism, clothed in a cassock, covered with pious words.
Now they’re preparing documents for UNESCO to register Dumenko’s first service in the Caves near the relics as “intangible cultural heritage”—a “unique event” in the country’s history. They want to immortalize this in earthly history. But in God’s history, it’s already been eternally recorded quite differently—as the abomination of desolation and demonic desecration of what is holy. In earthly archives they’ll be called “builders,” but in the Heavenly books—blasphemers and betrayers of Christ.
Holiness can’t be abolished, can’t be rewritten in documents, can’t be hidden under stairs or in storage. The relics of the saints are the living grace of God. The Lord said: God is not mocked (Gal. 6:7). Any attempt to mock the Church, its saints and relics, will turn into judgment first of all upon those who dared to raise their hand against the holy things.
Today’s events are a test of our faith. For us, children of the Church—not to be frightened, but to more firmly confess Christ, as our fathers did in times of persecution. And for those who desecrate the holy things—this is already testimony against them for the day of God’s Judgment, which no one will escape.
And if it seems that what is holy is being trampled upon, remember: God is long-suffering, but He doesn’t permit evil indefinitely. Judgment will come. And then it will be revealed that “building” upon sacrilege creates not a temple, but a pagan altar; “spirituality” without Christ isn’t light, but darkness; “innovations” against God aren’t progress, but eternal perdition. Those who attempt to immortalize this in earthly history are already eternally inscribed in God’s history as blasphemers and satanists.
Previously, UOJ reported that Exarch of the Jerusalem Patriarchate in Cyprus, Metropolitan Timotheos of Vostra, had sharply condemned the actions of the Ukrainian authorities at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
