Lavra lawyer: Monks are banned from participation in the fate of the shrine

Lavra brethren near the Kyiv Economic Court. Photo: Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Telegram-channel

The Kyiv Economic Court refused to involve the residents of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra as third parties in the consideration of the case concerning their eviction from the monastery. This was reported by the monastery's lawyer, Archpriest Nikita Chekman, on his Telegram channel.

"Today, the monks who filed statements to be involved in the case as third parties, as the decision to evict them will affect their rights and responsibilities, arrived at the court hearing," said Fr. Nikita. "However, the court ignored their right, justifying it by stating that the dispute concerns two legal entities and supposedly the decision to evict the monastery will not in any way affect the monks who reside there."

The lawyer called this court decision absurd and noted that "its legality will be assessed in the appellate procedure."

As the UOJ reported, Archpriest Nikita Chekman commented on the situation surrounding the court hearing on the suit of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve against the UOC monastery and spoke about the pressure exerted by the security forces on the monastery's abbot, Metropolitan Pavel.

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