Ukraine reclaims Kyiv cathedral amid church dispute

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Ukrainian government has taken the main cathedral of the revered historic Orthodox monastery from the church previously affiliated with Moscow’s patriarchate and allowed its Ukrainian rival to use it for Orthodox Christmas services. The move comes as the long-running tensions between the two churches exacerbated amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. Ukraine’s culture minister said Thursday that the state took over the Dormition Cathedral and the Refectory Church of the Pechersk Lavra monastery after the lease of them held by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) expired on Dec. 31. Oleksandr Tkachenko said Friday the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which is the similarly named rival church, asked for and was granted permission to conduct the Christmas service.