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The patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy, issued one of the strongest condemnations of Russia since the beginning of the war, after a massive Russian attack caused a fire at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Kiev Cave Monastery, one of the holiest sites in Orthodox Christianity and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
"What more must the Antichrist of the Kremlin do for the world to understand that decisive action must be taken to put an end to Russian terror against Ukraine and restore the principles of peace?", wrote Epifaniy as flames consumed part of the historic sanctuary."
According to the agency Ukrinform, the religious leader accompanied his message with images of the fire and denounced that the attack reached "the roof of one of the holiest places in the Christian world," referring to the Cathedral of the Dormition, located within the complex of the Kyevo-Pecherska Lavra.
Founded in 1051, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra is regarded as the spiritual cradle of Eastern Slavic Orthodoxy. For almost a millennium, it has been one of the key religious centers of Eastern Europe and a symbol of Ukraine's historical identity, in addition to being the oldest monastery in this nation.
UNESCO included the site in its World Heritage list in 1990 due to its extraordinary historical, architectural, and religious value. Its churches with golden domes and its famous catacombs attract thousands of pilgrims and visitors each year.
The attack occurred during a massive aerial offensive in which Russia launched dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones against various Ukrainian regions. Authorities in Kyiv reported that several people were killed and dozens were injured in different parts of the country.
For Epifaniy, the bombing represents much more than a military attack.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022, the primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has repeatedly accused the Kremlin of attempting to destroy not only Ukrainian sovereignty but also its historical, cultural, and religious identity.
In previous statements, the leader has denounced the ideology of the so-called "Russian World" (Russkiy Mir), promoted by Moscow, as a political tool used to justify the war and the subjugation of Ukraine. He has also accused the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church of supporting the Kremlin's military aggression.
The destruction or damage of cultural and religious sites has become one of the recurring concerns of international organizations during the war. UNESCO has documented damage to hundreds of Ukrainian monuments, museums, churches, and historic buildings since February 2022.
The Kiev Lavra itself had already been at the center of tensions between Ukraine and Russia due to its immense symbolic significance for both Orthodox traditions.
While the firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, the bells of the monastery rang out over the Ukrainian capital in an image that many interpreted as an act of resistance against one of the most devastating attacks on the country's religious heritage since the beginning of the invasion.
"This is a crime against our history and our faith," stated President Volodimir Zelenski, who promised that the sanctuary will be restored.
The statement from Epifaniy, who described Vladimir Putin as the "Antichrist of the Kremlin," has become one of the most viral and forceful reactions following the attack, reflecting the outrage caused by the damage sustained by one of the most significant Christian monuments in Europe.
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