Pochayiv City Council and Moscow Church appeal the transfer of the Pochayiv Lavra to the state.

The Pochayiv City Council and the Moscow Church in Ukraine, operating under the brand of the UOC (MP), have filed appeals against the court decision that returned the Holy Spirit Monastery complex of the Holy Assumption Pochayiv Lavra to the state. This is stated in the ruling of the Western Appellate Court on the appeals of the Pochayiv City Council and the Holy Spirit Monastery of the Ternopil Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

"Combine into one appellate proceeding the appeals of the Pochayiv City Council and the Pochayiv Holy Spirit Monastery of the Ternopil Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, filed against the decision of the Ternopil Regional Economic Court from 14.08.2024," the document states.

The appeals against the court decision returning the Holy Spirit Monastery complex of the Holy Assumption Pochayiv Lavra to the state will be considered on October 31.

On August 14, the Economic Court of Ternopil Region issued a decision on the case based on a lawsuit by the Ternopil Regional Military Administration, which annulled the executive committee decision of the Pochayiv City Council from June 30, 2004, "On the recognition of ownership rights to the complex of buildings of the Pochayiv Holy Spirit Monastery".

In court, the Ternopil RMA argued its claims on the basis that the Pochayiv City Council's executive committee, by deciding to recognize the ownership rights to the Pochayiv Holy Spirit Monastery complex of buildings, based on which a certificate of ownership was subsequently issued and state registration of property rights was conducted, "lacked the necessary authority and without the approval of the cultural heritage protection body".

The complex of structures of the Pochayiv Holy Spirit Skete of the Holy Assumption Pochayiv Lavra of the 18th century is a local architectural monument.

Recall that on March 28, 2023, the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine decided to establish a religious organization in the Pochayiv Lavra, which is leased by the UOC Moscow Patriarchate. This is the first legal step of the OCU in the Pochayiv shrine.

It should be noted, the Pochayiv Lavra was leased to the UOC MP in 2003, with this agreement valid until 2052. The Pochayiv Lavra complex consists of 18 structures, 6 of which are under the care of the Kremenets-Pochayiv State Historical-Architectural Reserve.