The abbot of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Epiphany, will hold a Christmas service in the cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The reserve concluded a corresponding agreement with the OCU. This is stated in the message of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve.

 "In the afternoon of January 5, 2023, an application was received from the Office of the Kyiv Metropolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to hold services in the Assumption Cathedral on January 7, 2023. After considering the application and taking into account the permission of the Moscow State Orthodox Church, the Reserve granted permission to hold services on January 7, 2022." - the message says.

 At the same time, as before, in the video published by the UOC MP, Acting Oleksandr Rudnyk, the general director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, stated that as of the morning of January 5, "he had not been approached about this."

 However, BBC News Ukraine took a comment from Rudnyk, in which he rejected the message of the UOC MP, and also talked about the permission of the Ministry of Culture.

 "That conversation on video took place yesterday in the morning. At that time, there was no order about the religious service. But in the afternoon, I received a request from the OCU to hold a religious service and to obtain permission from the Ministry of Culture. I gave permission and concluded an agreement on holding a divine service on January 7. All the documents are currently available, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church published outdated information in the evening," Rudnyk explained.

 He noted that it is a one-time rental for a religious service and added that the law enforcement officers will make sure tomorrow that "the event takes place without excesses."

 Later, the press service of the Ministry of Culture confirmed this information.

 "After considering the appeal and taking into account the permission of the ICIP, the Reserve was granted permission to hold religious services on January 7, 2023 in the Assumption Cathedral and concluded a corresponding agreement," the ministry said.