Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine marked what he described as a truly historic moment for the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in a recent post on social media, announcing that from 24 February 2026 the monastic community of the Ukrainian Lavra will assume full spiritual care of the Near (St. Anthony’s) Caves.
According to Metropolitan Epifaniy, this event will take its place in the history of the Lavra alongside other landmark moments of renewal, such as the return of the Church to the holy site in 1988 during the celebrations of the Millennium of the Baptism of Rus’-Ukraine, the restoration of the Dormition Cathedral a quarter of a century ago, and the first Ukrainian-language service celebrated there in modern times on Christmas 2023.
“With effect from 24 February 2026,” the Metropolitan noted, “the monastic community of the Ukrainian Lavra receives into its full and rightful care the shrines of the Near (Anthony’s) Caves, in order to continue prayer and service to God and the faithful there—continuing the work that began in these caves almost a thousand years ago with the founder of the monastery.”
He emphasized that this development confirms the irreversible nature of the process of freeing the Lavra from what he described as the previously imposed influence of the “Russian world.” While acknowledging that the process is gradual and requires patience, Metropolitan Epifaniy stressed that the path toward the full restoration of the Lavra as a spiritual center of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is being pursued steadily and with determination.
On the occasion of this transition, a prayer service for Ukraine was celebrated in the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, located above the Near Caves. Clergy, defenders of Ukraine, representatives of state and civic institutions, the leadership of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra,” and other honored guests joined in prayer. The Metropolitan highlighted the symbolic significance of this moment, which coincided with the fourth anniversary of Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s full-scale invasion and the twelfth anniversary of resistance to the Kremlin’s aggression that began in 2014.
Metropolitan Epifaniy underlined that the struggle facing Ukraine is not only territorial or political but also spiritual and cultural. He warned that the aggressor seeks not only to take land and freedom, but also to erase memory and identity—imposing imperial myths, glorifying oppressors, and discrediting those who sacrificed for Ukraine’s freedom. In this light, the defense of the Lavra and its spiritual renewal are part of a broader struggle for historical truth and national dignity.
“The resistance to the aggressor has not only a material but also a spiritual dimension,” he wrote. Expressing confidence in divine help, he invoked the protection of the Most Holy Theotokos and the intercession of the Venerable Fathers of the Kyiv Caves and all the saints of the Ukrainian people, affirming hope for victory over the ideology of the “Russian world” and for the establishment of a just and God-blessed peace.
Concluding his message, Metropolitan Epifaniy called for unceasing prayer at the holy site for the Ukrainian people, for the country’s defenders, and for lasting peace. He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to all those whose efforts made this historic step possible, noting that the restoration of prayerful life in the Near Caves represents not only a return to spiritual roots, but also a powerful sign of resilience, faith, and hope for Ukraine’s future.
