UOC lawyers send a request to MinCulture on sacrilege over saints' relics

Lawyer requests have been submitted to the Ministry of Culture and the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" regarding the sacrilegious manipulations with the holy relics of the Kyiv Caves saints. This was reported on August 21, 2025, by the monastery's lawyer, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, on his Telegram channel.

"Photos have been posted on the Internet showing the process of opening the reliquaries with the relics of the Venerable Fathers and their transfer from the Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra to storage facilities. These disrespectful and sacrilegious actions are taking place with the involvement of employees of the National Reserve 'Kyiv Pechersk Lavra,'” the request states.

According to the priest, the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and the National Reserve is asked to provide information on the legal grounds for such actions with the relics of the holy servants of God, as well as to indicate who exactly made the decision to open, move, redress, or otherwise tamper with them.

"Given the special spiritual value of the holy relics for millions of believers, such actions, carried out without the participation of the clergy and in violation of the centuries-old canons of the Orthodox Church, are regarded as a gross insult to religious feelings and a blatant desecration of the shrines," adds the UOC lawyer.

Archpriest Nikita Chekman emphasized that officials are expected to promptly provide official responses. "In case of ignoring the request or refusing to provide information, measures provided by law will be taken," concludes the lawyer.

Earlier, the Exarch of the Jerusalem Patriarchate in Cyprus, Metropolitan Timotheos of Vostra, in an exclusive comment to the UOJ stated that the manipulations of the Lavra Reserve staff with the relics of the Kyiv Caves saints are sacrilege comparable to the crimes of the godless Bolshevik regime.