FACT CHECK: No, Orthodox Relics From Kyiv Will Not Be Auctioned In France On October 1
A post shared on Facebook purports Orthodox relics from Kyiv, Ukraine are set to be auctioned at the Osenat Auction House in France on Oct. 1.
Verdict: False
An Oct. 1 auction listed on Osenat’s website focuses on “The Interiors of Versailles,” not Orthodox relics from Kyiv, as the post suggests. An Osenat spokesperson denied the claim’s validity in an email to Reuters.
Fact Check:
Back in June, Russian propaganda agency RIA Novosti claimed Christian relics would be removed from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery, according to the New Voice of Ukraine. Ukraine’s Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko said the relics would not leave the country in response to the claim, the Moscow Times reported.
“Recently there was news that Orthodox relics were being removed from Kiev to be stored in the West. And now in Paris they are announcing an auction ‘Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Treasures.’ Now the Orthodox relics will be safely stored in the cellars of French collectors,” the Facebook post purports. The post includes a photo of a purported billboard announcing the auction, which is scheduled for Oct. 1.
The claim is false, however. An Oct. 1 auction listed on Osenat’s website focuses on “The Interiors of Versailles,” not Orthodox relics from Kyiv, as the post suggests. In addition, the supposed auction involving the Orthodox relics from Kyiv is neither referenced on the auction house’s “News” section of its website nor on its social media accounts.
Likewise, the photo of the billboard included in the post is a stock image originating from the website “Free Pik.” The image is described as an “outdoor urban advertisement panel,” according to the site. (RELATED: Did Ukraine Use Props To Fake Damage At The Odesa Cathedral?)
Furthermore, there are no recent credible news reports indicating the Orthodox relics from Kyiv will be auctioned in France in October.
An Osenat spokesperson denied the claim’s validity in an email to Reuters. The spokesperson labeled the claim as “completely false,” adding, “There will be no such auction as described in the picture.”
Check Your Fact has also contacted Osenat for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
