Evgeny Klopotenko shot part of a Christmas program in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, in an episode that has been blasted as “sacrilege”
A renowned Ukrainian chef has come under fire after filming an episode of his culinary show in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, which has been at the center of religious tensions in the country, with many accusing him of blasphemy. He insists, however, that the move was not intended to offend people, but only to promote Ukrainian culture.
The scandal erupted after Evgeny Klopotenko aired a Christmas special on Saturday, part of which took place in the dining hall of the country’s largest Orthodox monastery, which was erected in 1051. The episode focused on Ukrainian cuisine.
”While the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC) was [in control], I could only dream of this – filming… a Christmas episode about Ukrainian sacred dishes in the refectory of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra,” Klopotenko said. He explained that the religious site and its archives are essentially the only remaining source of knowledge about the country’s ancient cuisine, including dumplings filled with carp caviar, onions and millet, and pea jelly.
The Kiev Pechersk Lavra has historically been administered by the UOC, which came under an unprecedented crackdown after the outbreak of the conflict with Russia, with the Ukrainian authorities accusing the church of having ties to Moscow, which the UOC has denied.
Kiev has been trying for months to wrestle control of the Lavra from the UOC while allowing the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), which is considered schismatic by both the UOC and the Russian Orthodox Church, to hold services there.
The Christmas show sparked a massive outcry on social media, with some denouncing what they called a “horror” and “shame for the entire Ukraine.”“An Orthodox believer cannot bear to watch this,” one commenter said.
“Do you even understand where you were? It is disgusting,” another wrote.
Aleksandr Klimenko, a UOC priest, called the show a “sacrilege,” adding that he was not surprised by this type of offense coming from the “new masters” of the monastery. He noted that the refectory is a place where the clergy quietly eat and pray to the Lord. “This is… not a place for TV shows,” he said.
Klopotenko dismissed the criticism, saying the show was filmed in accordance with church etiquette and after consultation with the clergy, and that they used the refectory only to show the food, not to cook it.
”I’m sorry that some people had negative feelings about it. My goal was not to hurt the feelings of the faithful; on the contrary, I wanted to share with you something kind and bright,” the chef said.
