Orthodox believers were being prevented from entering the territory of the Kyiv Caves Lavra in the morning because of the rules set by the Preserve. It was possible to come to Sunday’s divine service only after 9 a.m. The Information and Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church informs about it.
Due to the restrictions set by the administration of the Preserve on 5 July 2023, the faithful had to wait near the entry to the monastery for hours, unable to exercise their constitutional right to pray in their Shrine.
‘In relation to the obstruction of the work of the Preserve’s commission for sealing up the released buildings on the territory of the Lower Lavra, changes to the access mode have been made starting from 5 July 2023. Entry/exit through the gates from 11 Lavrska Street (building 111) is permitted from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day’, the Preserve explains its actions.
It should be stressed that article 35 of the Constitution of Ukraine protects freedom of religion, which includes the right ‘to freely practice religious rites and ceremonial rituals, alone or collectively, and to pursue religious activities’. At the same time, the Constitution clearly regulates the grounds for restricting the exercise of this right, which provide for the following conditions: (1) such restriction is provided for by the law; (2) there must be real threat to protecting the public order, health and morality of the population or to protecting the rights and freedoms of other persons.
The UOC Legal Department also emphasises that the groundless sealing up of and restriction of access to premises of the monastery bear signs of committing a criminal offence and are arbitrariness.
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