Kyiv court lifts restrictions, clearing way for return of St. Nicholas Church to RCC

St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv. Photo: Dzerkalo Tyzhnia

On June 18, 2025, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv lifted the seizure from the building complex designated for the relocation of the House of Organ and Chamber Music. This action has removed the last legal obstacle to transferring ownership of St. Nicholas Church to the Roman Catholic community, according to Dzerkalo Tyzhnia.

The handover had been stalled because the House of Music was still operating in the church building. Ukrainian law prohibits evicting cultural institutions without first providing them with an equivalent alternative space. Although the Catholic community has been using the church for the past three years under a formal agreement, full ownership could not be granted due to this legal restriction.

“Although the religious community has been the sole user of the church since 2022 under an agreement, a full legal transfer of the building was impossible without the relocation of the House of Music. Ukrainian law prohibits evicting cultural institutions unless they are given a new, equivalent facility. Authorities had repeatedly promised to resolve this issue,” the RCC stated.

The new location for the House of Music will be a wing of the International Center for Culture and Arts (formerly the October Palace), which belongs to the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine (FTUU). The FTUU had agreed to the transfer back in 2023, but the process was halted due to the building being under arrest. That legal barrier has now been removed.

With the seizure lifted, preparations for the new concert hall can begin. Once that is complete, the Ministry of Culture will be able to formally transfer St. Nicholas Church to the Catholic community.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the appellate court had upheld the decision to transfer Kyiv’s St. Nicholas Church to the RCC.

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