Tensions Rise at Ukraine’s Historic Religious Center

Tensions Rise at Ukraine’s Historic Religious Center

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has created a struggle for control of a religious complex called the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

The Lavra is commonly called the Monastery¹ of the Caves. It contains religious centers, museums, and places for clergy² to study and live. The oldest parts date back to the beginning of Christianity 1,000 years ago.

The complex has been called the "pearl of Ukraine" and the "Vatican" of Ukrainian Orthodoxy. In 1990, the complex was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This week, the government of Ukraine says it is removing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, or UOC, from Lavra.

The dispute

The dispute is part of a wider religious conflict playing out at the same time as the war.

The government of Ukraine has been cracking down on the UOC over its long, historic ties to the Russian Orthodox Church. Patriarch Kirill, the Russian Orthodox Church leader, has supported Russian President Vladimir Putin in the invasion of Ukraine.

The UOC has maintained that it is loyal to Ukraine. The church has denounced the Russian invasion from the start and has even declared its independence from the Russian church.

But the government has said the Lavra which houses UOC school and offices, is a center of Russian propaganda. And the Ukrainian parliament is also considering a "law on making it impossible to operate in Ukraine religious organizations affiliated³ with ... the Russian Federation⁴."

Ukrainian security agencies have claimed that some in the UOC have kept close ties with Russia. They presented photos of money, Russian passports and messages from the Russian church leader as proof that some UOC officials support Russia.

The Lavra is owned by the government. The agency overseeing the complex told the UOC that as of March 29, it was ending its lease. The government claims that members of the church violated the lease by making changes to the historic complex, and other technical violations⁵.

The UOC clergy dispute this and are refusing to leave. But people in civilian⁶ clothes were seen removing personal items from the complex. And police officers checked the cars to make sure no one was removing objects that belong to the Lavra.

Metropolitan⁷ Clement⁸ is the head of the UOC press office. He told The Associated Press that lawyers for the UOC asked the Ministry⁹ of Culture to provide documents explaining its reasons for ending the lease. But the ministry informed them that such documents will not be provided, Clement said.

Rival church organization

In 2019, a rival church organization called the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, or OCU, received official recognition from the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

The Patriarch of Constantinople has the top position of honor in Orthodox Christianity but does not have power over all Orthodox churches like the Pope over all Catholic churches. The Russian Orthodox Church leader, Patriarch Kirill, still has not recognized the OCU.

The government's removal order does not exactly state that the Lavra complex could be turned over to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

But the OCU's leader, Metropolitan Epiphany, issued a statement directed at the Lavra clergy. He suggested the changes will not put an end to worship at the complex. Metropolitan Epiphany said services will continue in their ancient Slavic language along with modern Ukrainian.

Epiphany claimed that the UOC is a "tool of ... aggression¹⁰ against Ukraine." He added the complex will be run by "those who know the traditions and life of the monastery."

Ukraine's Ministry of Culture also sought to offer similar promises that Lavra would still offer religious services.

Russia, however, says the removal of the UOC is more proof that Russia's actions over the past year in Ukraine are justified¹¹. Russia claims it is defending the Orthodox population.

And Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church has asked Pope Francis and other religious leaders to take action in the Lavra situation.

Words in This Story

monastery –n. a place where religious followers¹² known as monks¹³ live and work

pearl –adj. used to describe something beautiful and worthy¹⁴ of appreciation¹⁵

patriarch –n. a father figure or leader

affiliated –adj. a way of describing something that is officially connected with something else

lease –n. a document that shows an amount paid for the right to use a building or work space

rival –adj. a group that is different from or competing with another group

1 monastery   

n.修道院，僧院，寺院

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• She was appointed the superior of the monastery two years ago.两年前她被任命为这个修道院的院长。

2 clergy   

n.[总称]牧师，神职人员

参考例句：

• I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example.我衷心希望，我国有更多的牧师效法这个榜样。
• All the local clergy attended the ceremony.当地所有的牧师出席了仪式。

3 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。

4 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

5 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

7 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

8 clement   

adj.仁慈的；温和的

参考例句：

• A clement judge reduced his sentence.一位仁慈的法官为他减了刑。
• The planet's history contains many less stable and clement eras than the holocene.地球的历史包含着许多不如全新世稳定与温和的地质时期。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

10 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

11 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

12 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

13 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

15 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。