El Ciudadano
Original article: Rusia entiende con Pechersk Lavra y los civiles no
The images coming out of Kyiv transcend any military logic. The Cathedral of the Dormition, engulfed in flames above the historic Pechersk Lavra, exemplifies what Russia should not do in this war. This situation is not merely about a building struck by a drone; it’s about one of the places where a crucial part of the spiritual, cultural, and historical memory of Eastern Slavic peoples—Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Russians—was born. Therefore, the attack on Lavra holds a significance that extends far beyond physical damage; it is a tragedy that not only impacts Ukraine but also directly challenges one of the historical narratives that the Russian state has claimed for decades.
Pechersk Lavra is no ordinary monastery. I have been there, and it is a sacred place that resonates with your soul. Founded in the 11th century at the height of the ancient Rus of Kyiv, it is one of the most important spiritual centers of Orthodox Christianity worldwide. From its caves and temples, a religious tradition expanded that would later reach Moscow and much of the Slavic world. According to the historical vision promoted by the Kremlin, present-day Russia traces its roots back to the ancient Rus of Kyiv, that medieval state that arose around the Dnieper River and is considered the common origin of Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians. From this perspective, Pechersk Lavra is not simply a Ukrainian heritage site; it is also one of the foundational places of the very civilization that Russia claims to represent. Therefore, when flames threaten its golden domes, the contradiction becomes impossible to ignore. The fire consumes not only stone, wood, or icons; it also engulfs a historical narrative that Moscow continually invokes to justify its worldview.
Wars have always destroyed cities, bridges, and homes, but there is a profound difference when damage occurs in spaces deemed sacred by entire generations. Pechersk Lavra has withstood Mongol invasions, imperial wars, religious persecutions, and the ravages of the 20th century. For nearly a thousand years, its bells have marked births, deaths, and the faith of millions. It is the resting place of saints venerated throughout the Orthodox tradition, and it is where chronicles were written that helped shape the memory of Slavic peoples.
Every war generates propaganda, and each side constructs narratives to explain the conflict. However, ruins possess their own language and tend to be less obedient than official discourses. A burning cathedral raises uncomfortable questions: how does one protect civilization by destroying some of its holiest sites? How does one affirm a shared history while bombing the very symbols that gave it origin? How does one claim to defend Christian values when attacks target monasteries, churches, and neighborhoods populated by civilians? The image of the wounded Pechersk Lavra seems to answer these questions on its own.
Perhaps the most tragic aspect of this episode is that the damage cannot be measured simply in square meters destroyed. When a site like Pechersk Lavra is struck, it wounds a collective memory built over centuries, a memory that belongs to Ukraine but also forms part of the spiritual heritage of the Orthodox Slavic tradition as a whole.
The Kremlin must be more careful about where it directs its attacks; the war is against the Ukrainian military aligned with NATO, not against the civilian population and the Orthodox church.
Similarly, the Ukrainian militias that have been lured by Western money to engage in this fratricidal war are also killing civilians in their attacks on Russia; their battle is supposed to be between militaries. Stop killing civilians! If their path leads to death and contradicts the word of Christ and the commandment «Thou shalt not kill,» at least aim correctly.
The flames engulfing the monastery remind us of a truth that wars often obscure: tactical victors can become cultural losers. It is possible to conquer territories, destroy buildings, or impose narratives, but explaining why the very places considered the origin of one’s own history are burning is much more challenging. And so, as the smoke rises over the ancient hills of Kyiv, the question continues to resonate within me: if the Rus of Kyiv is truly the common cradle that Russia claims to defend, then what does it mean to witness one of its most sacred sanctuaries consumed by the flames of this war?
If the Rus of Kyiv is truly your mother, why do you let her burn in your war?
Russia Understands the Significance of Pechersk Lavra, but Civilians Do Not
By Bruno Sommer
La entrada Russia Understands the Significance of Pechersk Lavra, but Civilians Do Not se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.
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