Patriarch Filaret consecrated the Refectory Church in Kyiv (part of the National Reserve)

On Sunday, February 21, Patriarch Filaret led the service of consecration of the Small  (Warm) Sofia (Refectory Church of the Saint Sophia Cathedral Complex ).

Primate of the Kyiv Patriarchate served in concelebration of Metropolitan Epifaniy of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky, Archbishop Yevstratii of Chernihiv, Archbishop Nestor of Ternopil, Bishop Agapit of Vyshgorod, clergymen of Kyiv and region. It was reported on Facebook page by spokesman for the Kyiv Patriarchate Archbishop Yevstratii.

The church altar was dedicated to the Holy Prince Yaroslav the Wise.

“The state officials led by Vice Prime Minister Vyacheslav Kyrylenko were praying at the dedication liturgy. The church and the adjacent yard were filled with worshipers, among them - the delegates of the Orthodox youth.

According to the agreement on joint usesigned with the National Reserve “Sophia,” a part of the premises of the Lesser Sofia will be used for worshipdaily from 8:00 to 10:00 and 17:00 to 19:00, and from 10:00 to 17: 00 it will operate as a museum to demonstrate the exhibition,” said the hierarch.

On the eve of the consecration a number of public figures and museum workers opposed the decision of the Ministry of Culture on the transfer of the templeto the UOC-KP for renewal of worship.

The archaeologist Timur Bobrovskyy, former employee of the National Reserve “Sophia” said in particular that the church was specially equipped for exhibitions. In one room the restorers cleared for exhibition a fragment of XVIII century floor for public cost.

"Now all this needs to be changed and rearranged again. This will reduce the exhibition area of ​​the reserve, the exhibition area will be reduced, the valuable exhibits hidden and the remains having museum status will be covered.Why on earth?? For the sake of political PR of the Popular Front (current Minister of Culture Vyacheslav Kyrylenko is a member of this party)?” he stressed.

According to the scholar, if UNESCO learns about the situation, there will be a scandal. The voluntarist decision was taken by the Ministry of Culture without having developed a management plan and the risks of transfers of the museum are under management of clergy had not been calculated.

The Kyiv Patriarchate considersgroundless all accusations of transfer of the church for worship.

“After all, the church premises remain in state ownership and are part of the National Reserve St Sophia of Kyiv. "The whole exhibition, located in Lesser Sofia remains in its place, from 10 am to 17 pm according to the schedule of the museum the exhibits will be available for viewing. Theworshipwill be held on time outside the working schedule of the museum -the morning service (Liturgy) from 8:00 to 10:00, the evening servicefrom 17:00 to 19:00. This way of sharing premises of a landmark does not violate the rules of UNESCO, which is also concluded in the respective explanation published on the website of the Ministry of culture of Ukraine,” the UOC-KP assure.