The Commission of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine during the inspection of the preservation of state property of the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra found numerous violations, including the theft of icons. The inspection facility, located in Ternopil Oblast, is used free of charge by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UPC MP).
"The commission found that the user did not comply with the requirements of the law "On the protection of cultural heritage", in particular, clause 1 of Article 26 regarding the mandatory obtaining of permits for conservation, restoration, museification, repair, adaptation of monuments of national importance.
Also, the requirements of Art. 24 of the Law of Ukraine "On Protection of Cultural Heritage" regarding the impossibility of changing monuments. The user arbitrarily carried out repairs, additions, changes of structural elements, external and internal equipment and restoration of monuments without the relevant permits and scientific project documentation, which led to the improper maintenance of monuments and the loss of authentic elements of the equipment of monuments, an increase load on their structures".
In particular, the commission discovered the extension of the vestibule to the central entrance to the Assumption Cathedral, as well as the renovation and/or cleaning of wall paintings and icons, etc.
"Novodel" with the "holy" RPC Tsar Nicholas in the Pochaiv Lavra
In addition, the members of the commission recorded the renewal and/or cleaning of murals and icons, the replacement of the Panicadile in the Dormition Cathedral, changes in murals and repair work in the galleries and the Cave Temple of St. John and the Church of St. Anthony and Theodosius, and other facts of violations.
The commission's inspection of the state of preservation of the works of icon painting revealed the facts of "the absence of a significant part of the icons recorded in the passports of cultural heritage monuments and the inventory list compiled in 1967."
On the territory of the Pochaiv Holy Dormition Lavra, in addition to 6 objects belonging to the state, other immovable property, which is not included in the agreement on free use, was discovered.
In addition, during the inspection of the territory of the Lavra, specialists of the State Emergency Service discovered violations of fire safety requirements, and also noted the non-fulfillment of a number of measures to eliminate violations, starting in 2004.
The Pochayev Lavra of the Assumption is an Orthodox male monastery in Pochayev with the status of a lavra. The largest Orthodox shrine in western Ukraine, the second most important after the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
