In the Ukrainian media published a list of churches and monasteries, which Ukraine agreed to transfer the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Bartholomew. According to the source “News”, they were enshrined in the Treaty, which was signed by Petro Poroshenko and Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul on November 3, 2018 — probably, it is still on the Annex to the Treaty (according to other sources, the document has declarative character and were quite short). Reported Information-enlightenment Department of the UOC with reference to the newspaper “Vesti”.
It should be noted that at the request of the media in the AP refused to publish the Treaty, justifying formal reasons.
Separately stated the issue of Kiev-Pechersk and Pochaev Lavra. The head of the Department for religions and nationalities of Ministry of culture Andriy yurash described question Laurel: “They are in the state. Such objects of national importance to anyone in the property not transferred to the lower part of the Kyiv-Pechersk and Pochaiv Lavra, transferred to a 50-year lease of the UOC-MP. If it is clear that the transfer of the Lavra to rent there was disturbance, it may be grounds for revision of the Treaty”.
According to the source “News”, the list of churches and monasteries that can be sent to Constantinople, as follows:
— Kiev-Bratsk Epiphany monastery (Kyiv-Mohyla Academy). The Cathedral was built in the XVI century as the Patriarchal stavropegic Patriarch of Constantinople Jeremiah. Was destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1919 — now on site one of the University buildings. In 2007, was restored to the academic Church of the Holy spirit (UOC-KP). It claims on the territory in 1648, a special value is library.
— Holy ascension Florovsky monastery in Kiev (Kyiv diocese of the UOC). The complex of churches (ascension, 1732, resurrection, 1824, 1821, the bell tower, the Church of Kazan mother of God).
— Mezhyhirs’ka Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery, the village of Novo-Petrovtsy, Kyiv region. The first monastery from the times of Princess Olga, was finally destroyed in 1933, a valuable area of 72 hectares, which is placed on the residence of Viktor Yanukovych Mezhyhiria.
Assumption Church (stavropegic Church of the assumption of the blessed virgin Mary), Lviv, under the jurisdiction of the UAOC. Built in 1591-1629. the assumption brotherhood. Now one of the main monuments in the Italian Renaissance style.
— Manyavsky skit (maniava Holy cross monastery) S. Manyava, Ivano-Frankivska region, the UOC-KP. Founded in 1611, but the monastery is open only in the 1990s. the famous Skit “Blessed stone” — according to legend, a place of prayer and purification (in fact, it’s a niche in the rock the size of 10Х3 meters, which in ancient times inhabited by monks).
— Holy Trinity stavropegic convent, Korets, Rivne region, ROC. Famous shrines: Koretskaya icon mother of God “surety of sinners”, the Shroud of the Dormition of the Mother of God, written on the cypress, the Holy Shroud, a list of the Pochayiv icon of the Mother of God, mother of God icon “quick to hearken”, “Gerontissa”, etc. icons, but also a cross with a particle of the Holy cross and relics of saints.
— Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery — Orthodox monastery, Novgorod-Seversky, UOC. Supposedly built in the XVI-XVIII centuries, according to legends — one of the most ancient in Kievan Rus. Restored and renovated in 1990. the Main Shrine ― the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Savior of the drowning” (“len’kovskiy”).
— Molchansky Christmas-Bogoroditsky female monastery, the town of Hlukhiv, Sumy region, now administered by the UOC. Built in the XVII—XIX centuries, the main Shrine — Molchenskaya icon of the Mother of God.
— The Nativity of the virgin Glinskaya deserts in the village of Sosnovka in Sumy region, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Stavropegic monastery a couple of kilometres from the border with Russia. Historically, the monks live on mount Athos dinoprostu.
— Holy cross nunnery in Poltava, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Founded in 1650, in may 1709 was the residence of Charles XII. In the belfry, imitating the Lavra in Kiev, was steropinae the miraculous icon of our lady of sorrows by “the Hope of all the ends of the earth”. — St. Elijah’s monastery in Odessa, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Founded in 1884 to assist the pilgrims through Odessa to mount Athos and to Palestine (assistance in obtaining foreign passports, shelter, etc.) Major shrines: the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “nursing the child”, a cross-shaped part of the tree of the Holy cross, the left foot of the Holy Apostle Andrew the first-called.
— St. Panteleimon monastery, Odessa, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Founded as the Athonite metochion in 1876, also in aid of the pilgrims to mount Athos and to Palestine (then and now a hotel for pilgrims). Shrines — the icon and the relics of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon, the image of the Mother of God of Czestochowa.
According to sources, “News”, whether the transfer is under the control of the former Deputy head of the AP, the adviser to the President Rostislav Pavlenko. “He edits the list taking into account the interests and wishes of Bartholomew and his exarchs, — said the interlocutor izdatelstva. — To clarify the situation and find out who’s on the fence, in the Western region was sent Andriy yurash, Director of the Department of the Ministry of culture”.
From a legal point of view, the issue of transfer of temples/monasteries of Constantinople, that is, a foreign resident, looks doubtful. “It contradicts the Constitution of Ukraine, I am sure that shortly after the publication of this information, the MPs will submit an appeal to the constitutional court to cancel it. But the state has no right to interfere in the Affairs of the Church, the ban explicitly stated in the Law on religion, the number of conventions and international declarations of rights and freedoms — said, “Vesti” Rostislav Kravets, senior partner of JSC “Kravets & partners”. From a legal point of view, the instrument of transfer of something of the Ecumenical Patriarchate now is not worth the paper it’s written on”.
Archpriest Oleksandr bakhov, head of the legal Department of the UOC “news” explained: most of the objects included in the list, is owned by the state and was transferred to the UOC for use. “This Frolovskiy monastery, Glinskaya deserts, monasteries in Odessa. There are monasteries, which are owned by the Church. In any case, deprivation of the right of ownership or termination of treaties on the right of use/rental must be base — such, for example, can be Act No. 5309,” — said the “news” Archpriest Oleksandr bakhov.
He suggested that the mechanism of rejection of temples/monasteries may be as follows: communities will be faced with the fact that the need for the name change. Parliament adopts additional legislative act, which will raise the question of the renewal of the contract after renaming. “You may need a supplementary agreement, which simply will not sign: I’ll tell you-de, as representatives of the aggressor country, lost the right to renew the lease”, — said the Archpriest Alexander bakhov.
The reaction of the UOC on the emergence of such a list is clear: temples and monasteries can not be selected. “It’s just not Christian. It is not just a material property: it’s religious shrines, places, which are associated with the lives of our believers. Many of them revived the shrines, many renounced the world in order to spend life in prayer — and any kind of information about such methods and solutions of concern: even in dashing 90-e the worst reketirov and the bandits did not attempt to temples and monasteries. Today the level of morality in the society admits the possibility of even such extreme measures,” — said the “Vesti” the Archbishop of Nizhyn and Pryluky Clement.