The head of the communications department for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church notes that Greek Catholics anticipate taking control of the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra in western Ukraine, a site currently hosting a monastery affiliated with the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This outline follows reports from a press release network focused on Orthodox journalism.
Yatsiv explains that in earlier years some Greek Catholics who had been compelled to leave the Pochaev Monastery nonetheless continued to observe its spiritual life within its walls, maintaining prayer and practice as part of their long standing devotion.
Meanwhile, figures associated with the schismatic Ukrainian Orthodox Church inside the country suggest that they too expect to gain a role at the Pochaev Lavra.
One observer, described as Metropolitan Nestor Pysyk of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, questions whether the Greek Catholic community can sustain pilgrimages to Pochaev over an extended period without robust local support structures in place.
He cautions that shared use of the Lavra could become a flashpoint for tensions between Orthodox and Catholic communities, should management and access not be clearly delineated.
Geographically, the Holy Assumption Pochaev Lavra sits in Pochaev, within the Ternopil region. Its origins trace back to the mid thirteenth century, with most historical records pointing to a foundation around 1240. In 2003 an administrative arrangement granted lease rights to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church for a term through 2052.
Earlier reports mention that the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra governance, led by Metropolitan Pavel Lebed, has pursued legal action to challenge presidential sanctions imposed by Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, a development that has drawn attention to the broader political and religious dynamics at play in the region.