Preparations for the Lavra's anniversary: the state and the church agree on their vision for the future of the shrine
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna held a working meeting with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, dedicated to preparations for the 975th anniversary of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, which will be celebrated in 2026.
The main focus of the conversation was not on the format of the celebrations, but on the strategic significance of the anniversary — preserving and strengthening the role of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra as the spiritual, cultural and historical centre of Ukraine. The parties discussed key tasks to ensure the functioning of the Lavra as a space of Ukrainian spiritual tradition, national memory and cultural heritage.
Tetiana Berezhna stressed that it is fundamentally important for the state to establish smooth coordination between church, cultural and state institutions. According to her, preparations for the anniversary should be an opportunity to consolidate the Ukrainian identity of the Lavra and its significance for society in the long term.
The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Olena Kovalskaya, the Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine, Ivan Verbytsky, Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelensky, Director General of the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" Maxim Ostapenko, Abbot of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Bishop Avraam of Boryspil, and Archpriest Petro Landvitovich.
Following the discussion, Tetiana Berezhna thanked Metropolitan Epifaniy for the constructive dialogue and willingness to work together on the future of one of Ukraine's main shrines.
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Ukrainian spiritual heritage, Ukrainian cultural heritage
