The Russian Orthodox Church does not even hide the fact that the UOC-MP is its inseparable part, said Ukrainian Ambassador to the Vatican Andriy Yurash. Commenting on the letter of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Vladimir Gundyaev (Patriarch Kirill), in which he complains to the head of the Vatican about the eviction of the Moscow Patriarchate from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Yurash said that Ukrainian diplomacy is actively working on contacts with the Holy See.

The Ambassador to the Vatican noted that Pope Francis mentioned the situation with the Lavra during the morning audience on March 15. He also spoke about the need to preserve religious freedoms.. According to Francis, the Vatican wants to keep the ROC, but the perception of Ukraine is also changing.

“This is not about restricting freedom, but about the fact that the Lavra is a Christian shrine, which was not always under the Moscow Church. This is not a fight with the church. You just need to comply with cultural requirements, it is also the center of spirituality of Eastern Christianity,” Yurash said on the air of the telethon..

He added that Patriarch Kirill and the Russian Orthodox Church want to take advantage of the situation with the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra for propaganda.

According to Yurash, the ROC openly admits that the UOC-MP is still an integral part of the Russian Church.

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Recall, on March 10, the leadership of the National Reserve " Later, he noted that the monks would be able to stay in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, but under certain conditions.

In addition, Tkachenko warned representatives of the UOC-MP about criminal liability for the disappearance of any museum exhibits from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, including the relics of saints..