Supreme Court orders transfer of St. Nicholas Church to Roman Catholics

St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv. Photo: rkc.org

On July 24, 2025, the Supreme Court of Ukraine refused to initiate cassation proceedings on the complaints filed by the Ministry of Culture and the National House of Organ and Chamber Music. As a result, previous court decisions requiring the transfer of St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv to the Roman Catholic parish were upheld, reports rkc.org.ua.

The Ministry of Culture is now obligated to execute the final, non-appealable court decision without delay. Failure to comply may result in criminal liability.

“We now expect the Ministry of Culture to transfer the church to our parish community as quickly as possible. We seek to be officially registered as the building’s managers and users in the state register,” said Fr. Paweł Vyshkovskyi, rector of the parish of St. Nicholas.

He also expressed gratitude to all those who supported the parish over the years, especially those who “chose decommunization not just in words but in deeds.”

The parish’s lawyer, Olena Donenko, who represented the community in court, stated that the Supreme Court had definitively resolved the case.

She questioned why Culture Ministry officials are “sabotaging the enforcement of a lawful court ruling despite Ukraine’s warm and constructive relations with the Vatican,” thereby “undermining the President, who personally gave assurances to the Holy See.”

The parish priest noted that much work remains ahead: before winter, the windows – promised for repair by the Culture Ministry back in December 2024 – must be sealed, and trees growing through the roof and walls of the church must be removed.

“The current caretaker – the National House of Organ and Chamber Music – found the time and funds to hire lawyers and file complaints, but not to perform basic maintenance to preserve the building,” he added.

Earlier, the Roman Catholic community had accused the Culture Ministry of manipulations surrounding St. Nicholas Church.

Read also