“The actions of public authorities against the Church and bishops in some way are not legitimate,” — said the Deputy kiyevo-Pechersky monastery the Metropolitan Vyshgorodsky and Chernobyl Paul, as he stated on 29 November 2018 during a briefing in Laurel, according to Information-enlightenment Department of the UOC.
“Today is a lot of questions, are the actions of our government against the Church. To some extent, are illegal. The pressure on me personally, threats, different kind of assault. Not just for me but for other bishops and priests. Why, I don’t know. But for me the main thing that in our country there is peace and order in our country, truth has triumphed”, — noted in particular the Metropolitan Paul.
The Bishop noted that he, as a citizen of Ukraine, opened a few cases. Metropolitan Pavel stressed that he “never was against the sovereignty of the state”, on the contrary — “standing on the foundations of independence in 1991”.
“I want to assure you: I am a citizen of my country, I am the son of Ukraine, who would not say, — said the master. — Wish our patriots to be true patriots, not in words but in deeds”.
Metropolitan Paul also commented on the threats to Laura, and him personally: “I wonder if there will be searches and harassment”.
On the issues of autocephaly and the lifting of the anathemas, he stressed: “the State has no right to interfere in these matters, because these issues should be decided at the Church level.”
In addition, the Governor of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra explained the situation about the inspection of the special Commission of shrines and rare objects, which are in the monastery.
“I can’t say that it is a census. I don’t know why currently, the Ministry of culture of Ukraine issued a decree to check all the curiosities, which were referred to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra in 1988 and 2000-ies,” — said Metropolitan Paul.
The Lord said that he met with the Commission, which included representatives of the security service, the Ministry of culture and National historical and cultural the Kiev-Pechersk reserve, and they agreed.
“One group went to the Far caves, the other in the Near caves. Temples can check at any time. However, because Laura is visited by many people, I asked that the inspection took place after 17 hours. Indeed, the Commission has listened to my wishes. We talked and gave them all that was conveyed to the monastery in the past 12 years. Therefore, no rewrite at night, no one stormed the monastery. We have just executed the decision of the Ministry of culture of Ukraine”, — said the Bishop.
At the request of the vicar, the altar inspection of the premises of the temples of the Lavra carried out exclusively by men because women are forbidden to be in the Church altar.
However, recall that this check happens for the first time in 30 year history of the revived the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Finally, the Metropolitan Vyshgorodsky and Chernobyl Paul urged journalists not to distort the facts and avoid confusing the issue, and do all the things that unites the country.
“Today, we should not make quarrels, and unite for our future. Let’s pray together that the Lord has kept our state,” concluded the Bishop.