The war of words between civil society organization and Russian Orthodox church leaders continued on July 17 when supporters of the monastery rebutted criticism that church leaders are being unsympathetic to HIV/AIDS patients being treated in a clinic on monastery grounds.
Government officials announced last week that the clinic and its patients would be relocated.
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill is scheduled to make a pastoral visit to Ukraine July 20-28.
The Russian-language letter by the monastery comes in response of pleas by HIV/AIDS activitists to leave the clinic alone.
