160-year-old UOC church destroyed by fire in Kharkiv region village
St. Nicholas Church in the village of Russkiy Orchyk, Kharkiv Region. Photo: Kharkiv Eparchy of the UOC
On May 31, a fire destroyed St. Nicholas Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the village of Russkiy Orchyk, Kharkiv Region, according to the website of the Kharkiv Eparchy.
The eparchy said the shrine was consumed by flames as a result of an emergency incident. The ruling bishop expressed his condolences to the parish rector and the faithful of the community, assuring them of his prayers for the church’s rebirth.
According to available information, the lost church was a wooden architectural monument approximately 160 years old. Given the extent of the destruction, restoring the historic sanctuary is likely to be extremely difficult.
As noted by the local history website Shukach, wood was the primary building material of the church, while stone was used only for the foundation. The structure was adorned with intricate carved details, and its interior featured wall paintings and works of decorative and applied art.
The loss of St. Nicholas Church is a heavy blow not only to the Orthodox community of Russkiy Orchyk but also to the wider Church. Along with a place of prayer, Kharkiv Region has lost a precious monument of its historical and cultural heritage.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Snovsk was damaged by shelling.
Read also
Volyn Eparchy faithful collect six tons of aid for Sviatohirsk Lavra
Believers in Volyn collected food and warm clothing for people displaced by the war who have found shelter at Sviatohirsk Lavra.
Trump: "Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon"
Donald Trump blamed uncontrolled immigration for street protests in France, warning that Paris would soon become a Muslim city.
Dumenko: Jerusalem Church is wrong to refuse communion with us
Dumenko claimed that the OCU, like the Apostle Paul, is standing up against the errors of the Jerusalem Church and other Local Churches.
Ukrainian parliament registers bill to establish Bible Day
Lawmakers have proposed establishing Bible Day to strengthen moral values and preserve the country’s spiritual heritage.
Dumenko: Pochaiv will be ours, and Sviatohirsk Lavra is no Lavra
The OCU head called Pochaiv Lavra the Russian Orthodox Church’s “last stronghold,” predicted that circumstances would eventually allow its transfer, and rejected Sviatohirsk Monastery’s status as a lavra.
Metropolitan Victor offers condolences to families of shelling victims
The ruling hierarch of the Khmelnytskyi Eparchy expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the Russian attack on Khmelnytskyi on October 19.