Pochaiv Lavra given an additional 60 days to sever ties with the ROC

The prescript from the DES S has two main requirements.

The State Service of Ukraine on Ethnopolicy and Freedom of Conscience (DES S) in response to the申请 of Pochaev Holy Dormition Lavra extended the term for compliance with the prescript on removing violations of the laws on freedom of conscience and religious organizations by 60 days.

This was reported by DES S head Viktor Yelensky, according to Ukrinform.

"Lawyers of the religious organization ‘Pochaev Holy Dormition Lavra’ appealed for an extension of the term to implement the prescript to eliminate violations of the law on freedom of conscience and religious organizations. Such a possibility is provided by the Law on Protection of Constitutional Order in the sphere of activity of religious organizations, which states that in case of a justified request the execution of the prescript may be extended by 60 days," explained Yelensky.

He noted that the prescript issued to Pochaev Lavra by DES S has two main requirements. First — to leave the Kyiv Metropolitanate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which, according to Ukrainian law, is recognized as affiliated with the ROC. Second — for the lavra’s superior, Metropolitan Volodymyr Moroz, to leave the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

"The petition for extending the term of the prescript states that the lavra’s head has no right to independently decide on leaving the metropolitanate. For this, it is necessary to convene the Pochaev Lavra’s Spiritual Council in accordance with the charter of the religious organization, and this, accordingly, requires more time. In the second point of the justification for extending the term, it is stated that the materials the religious organization received as evidence that it is part of the ROC are in Russian, so they need to be translated. Specifically, it refers to screenshots from the ROC’s official site showing that Metropolitan Volodymyr Moroz is a member of the ROC Holy Synod," noted Yelensky.

In response to the petition, DES S granted Pochaev Lavra additional 60 days to fulfill the prescript.

"In 60 days we expect that they will either comply with this prescript or, if they do not, and the Pochaev Lavra Spiritual Council should decide otherwise, then this religious organization will be recognized as affiliated with the ROC banned in Ukraine and an immediate lawsuit will be filed to terminate this religious organization," added Yelensky.

Context.

22 July the DES S published the conclusion of a study on signs of affiliation of Pochaev Holy Dormition Lavra with the Russian Orthodox Church, whose activities are banned in Ukraine.

27 July the DES S sent the Pochaev Lavra a prescript to eliminate ties with the ROC banned in Ukraine within 30 days.