Kiev, May 17, 2024
The place where the Tithes Church stood until this morning. Photo: Telegram
Ukraine’s National History Museum and anti-Orthodox nationalists have finally achieved their dream of dismantling and destroying a church that, until this morning, stood on the site of the first cathedral of Kievan Rus’.
The ancient cathedral was blown up by the godless authorities in 1936, but in 2006, the new church, belonging to the Tithes Monastery, was built by Kiev residents with the blessing of then-primate Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine.
The anti-Orthodox element in Ukraine has been trying to dismantle the church since at least 2018, during the time of President Petro Poroshenko, arguing that it was illegally built on the territory of the National History Museum.
The church was vandalized and set on fire on January 25, 2018. On February 3 of that year, about 200 radicals staged a protest near the monastery, calling for its dismantling. More than 3,000 came out to defend the monastery on the same day. The former abbot of the Tithes Monastery, His Grace Bishop Gideon of Makarov, was temporarily deprived of his Ukrainian citizenship in 2019-2020 after he spoke out about the persecution of the Church.
The church in the foreground was demolished last night. Photo: spzh.live
In February 2023, the Economic Court of Kiev ruled to dismantle the church, which was later upheld by other court rulings.
Last month, the Museum announced a fundraiser towards the church’s demolition, calling it a piece of “garbage.”
And last night, the Tithes Monastery and other sources began reporting on the demolition of the church.
“At present, the church is surrounded by police and military personnel, with many buses carrying soldiers,” the monastery wrote at 10:34 PM. The next message called for prayers and physical help from anyone who was able.
At 10:49, the monastery reported that police were trying to detain the monastery brethren. It later reported there were more than 100 armed police officers present.
At 11:40: “Jammers for mobile communication and internet have been activated at the site, and the entire perimeter of the mountain is cordoned off by police. The sound of bulldozers can be heard.”
The demolished church was carried away by dump truck. Photo: Telegram screenshot
At 12:18, the monastery posted video of massive dump trucks carrying away debris. “Icons… Crosses… The altar…” the monastery wrote.
“The church that was consecrated by His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir and His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry no longer exists…,” the monastery wrote at 12:20.
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