Ostapenko: Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra would not exist without Soviet-era reserve

Maksym Ostapenko. Photo: screenshot from the Shelter YouTube channel

Maksym Ostapenko, director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, said in an interview with Shelter that the reserve played a key role in saving the monastery during the Soviet era.

The official highlighted the 100th anniversary of the state museum established on the monastery grounds. According to Ostapenko, for a century its specialists carried out extensive work to preserve, restore and study the Lavra’s ancient monuments.

“The reserve turns 100 this year. Over that time, an incredible amount connected with the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra has been preserved, rebuilt, restored and studied. Had that not happened, the Lavra itself would not have survived either.” At the same time, Ostapenko insisted that the reserve’s century-long history needs to be rethought.

In the reserve director’s view, people need to stop seeing the Lavra solely as a monastery, while its spiritual dimension should be combined with its cultural and state-building dimensions. “And through this synergy, we must create what is called a national shrine.”

The UOJ previously reported that, according to Ostapenko, the mission of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is to unite the OCU and the state.

Read also