Fire destroys 17th-century wooden UOC church in Ivashkovytsia, Zakarpattia

A fire destroyed the unique Church of St. Archangel Michael. Photo: GSChS Zakarpattia

On the night of January 7, 2026, a fire broke out in the village of Ivashkovytsia in Khust District, Zakarpattia Region, as a result of which a 17th-century wooden church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – the Church of the Holy Archangel Michael – burned down. Researcher of Zakarpattia’s historical heritage Mykhailo Markovych reported the incident on Facebook.

It is reported that the blaze destroyed one of the few surviving small wooden churches that were once built in remote villages of Zakarpattia. The church was a three-part log structure, with a timber-framed porch added later. According to an inscription on the door jamb, the church was built in 1658.

Markovych also noted that in the mid-1990s the building was covered with sheet metal, and the old log walls were clad with spruce paneling, which substantially changed its original appearance. The researcher stressed that the loss of the church has become another tragic page in the history of the region’s sacred heritage.

The State Emergency Service reported that the call about the fire came in shortly before midnight. Sixteen rescuers and four units of equipment were deployed. The fire was contained within 16 minutes, and fully extinguished at 02:33, covering an area of about 80 square meters. It is noted that the flames destroyed part of the roof, furnishings, the iconostasis, and church vessels.

The parish priest (according to information posted on the parish website – Archpriest Stepan Savke) reported the fire to emergency services. He was preparing for the evening service when he noticed smoke beneath the church dome. When he went outside, he saw that the building was already engulfed, after which he immediately called firefighters and, before they arrived, began removing church property.

Local residents came to the priest’s aid, and together they tried to hold back the flames using improvised means and buckets of water. However, because of the wooden structure, the fire spread rapidly and they were unable to stop it. At the same time, rescuers managed to prevent the fire from spreading to the nearby bell tower.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Holy Spirit Cathedral was damaged by shelling on Christmas in Kherson.

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