The government decided to transfer the St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv for use by the Roman Catholic community.
This was reported by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
Now the parish will be able to fully restore the church, pray, and develop community life.
What is known about the Church of St. Nicholas
This is one of two Roman Catholic churches in Kyiv, built before 1917. It is located on Velyka Vasylkivska Street in the center of the capital.
The church was closed in 1936, and the building has been used as a concert hall since 1981. After Ukraine gained independence, the building was shared by the National House of Organ and Chamber Music and the St. Nicholas Parish of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine.
On September 3, 2021, a fire broke out in the Church of St. Nicholas. The fire occurred between the first and second floors, the fire quickly spread to the roof of the building, but it was extinguished.
The fire did not touch the wooden altar and pulpit, nor were the figures on either side of the organ damaged. Only the cross in the altar section was burned. The entire church was covered in smoke and water, and the most valuable thing burned down—the organ.
The main version of the fire at St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv is that electrical wiring inside the wooden organ casing caught fire. However, police were also investigating other versions.
The business raised UAH 30 million to repair the church. The building was dismantled with burnt chandeliers, windows were glazed, walls were cleaned of soot, garbage was removed, protective nets were installed, a new stage, lighting and heating were installed. The money was only enough for emergency work, the rest was to be provided by the state, and a full restoration was planned for the spring of 2022.
In December 2024, the church suffered from a Russian attack — the blast wave damaged the facade of the church.
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