Prohibiting believers from praying in temples where they have always done so contradicts divine laws, and what is now happening in Ukraine with the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is a real "fight of satanists" with the orthodox church. Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia and the Religious Board of Muslims (DUM) of the Russian Federation, told TASS.
"If believers are not allowed to pray in the temple, in those holy places where they used to do it, where they came to get their spiritual pleasure and education, it contradicts the laws of God, and it certainly reminds of the years of struggle of the God-fighting years. And what is being arranged today on the part of the authorities - when believers are driven out of temples, these temples are taken away, this is a real fight of satanists who want to tear people away from the faith, from religion and impose their faith on them," Gaynutdin said.
He stated that "one of the churches" in Ukraine (the schismatic "Orthodox Church of Ukraine" - TASS) has taken the path of fighting the faith and its followers, when in the souls of people "they want to sow discord and thereby take away their faith." "This is very dangerous," the mufti concluded.
On March 10, the directorate of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra reserve announced the termination of an indefinite lease with the Holy Assumption Kiev-Pechersk Lavra of the UOC, and that the monks of the canonical church need to leave the monastery by March 29. Metropolitan Pavel, the Lavra's governor, called these actions illegal and said that the brethren refused to leave the monastery. On March 20, members of the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, headed by Metropolitan Onufry, came to the office of the president of Ukraine to present their position, but the latter refused to receive them. On March 23, the Synod of the UOC published an appeal to the highest hierarchs, clerics, and parishioners of the church to protect its right to remain in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Sergey Bobylev / TASS
Based on materials from TASS