The orthodox cathedral Zhytomyr was built in 1796 and has been serving the local Orthodox community since then. It served as the parish church for the Ukrainian autocephalous Orthodox community until 1927 when it was closed for a long period. After the Second World War, it was reopened to believers and continued to operate until 1960, when it was partially converted into office premises. It later became the home of the local Knowledge Society and even housed a puppet theatre.
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St. Michael’s Cathedral
The ruins of St. Michael’s Cathedral in Zhytomyr date back to 1927, when the church served as the temple of the Ukrainian autocephalous Orthodox community. During the Second World War, the cathedral building became a Soviet warehouse and the Germans stored confiscated radios there. However, the Soviets eventually returned the building to the faithful, and the church has been used as a religious center ever since. In 2010, a Ukrainian Sunday school conducted worship services in the cathedral, and the church restored its original status.
The new building was completed in 1856 after the merchant Michael Habotin emptied a marsh and obtained permission from the local authorities to construct the church. It is a beautiful example of a Russian-Russian architectural style, with five domes and a bell tower. The church is considered a historical monument in Zhytomyr. It will now serve as the orthodox cathedral for the region.
St. Vasyl the Great Image
The main Orthodox cathedral in Zhytomyr is the Cathedral of the Holy Transfiguration. This beautiful church is a symbol of the town. It was constructed on the site of a Basilian church that collapsed soon after construction was completed, due to the frail brick. In the ensuing decades, the cathedral has been rebuilt several times. The reconstructed cathedral is still impressive.
The orthodox cathedral Zhytomyr houses a remarkable icon of the Savior. This icon, painted by Mikhail Vasyliev, was a treasure for the people of Zhytomyr for centuries. The icon was brought from Byzantium by Prince Vladimir, who was christened in Greece. However, the image disappeared during the Soviet period, and was never found again.
Among the great treasures of the Orthodox Church are its rich traditions and mystical vision of God. Its roots date back to the first Christian communities in the lands around the Mediterranean Sea. There, the Christian faith evolved, and the great Fathers lived and taught. During these ancient cities, the essential principles of Christian faith were proclaimed at the Seven Ecumenical Councils.
Metropolitan Ioann (Bodnarchuk)
In the 1990s, Metropolitan Ioann (Bodnarchuck) served as the bishop of three separate churches in Ukraine: the Russian Orthodox Church (1977-1989), the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (1992-94), and the Kyivan Patriarchate. This article draws on material from the Wikipedia article “Methodist Ioann (Bodnarchuk)”. Please note that Wikipedia does not endorse the opinions expressed in this article.
In the same year, the UAOC consecrated three “bishops”: Mikhail Vishnevskii, Vasily Bodnarchuk, and Dimitrii Yarema. The consecration of these three men resulted in the emergence of over a dozen new sects in the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Holy Synod also discharged Archbishop Job from his duties as the Deputy Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations. In return, the Synod assigned him to the dioceses of Zhytomyr and Ovruch in Ukraine, adjusting his title to reflect his new role. This decision sparked controversy and led to the resignation of a number of bishops.
Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Talakivka, Ukraine
A bombing by Russian troops in Ukraine destroyed the main dome and bell tower of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in Talakivka, a village near Mariupol. The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin was rebuilt 30 years after the Soviet occupation, on the same spot as the one destroyed by the Russians. The Church of Saint Andrew in Kharkov was also damaged during the Russian bombardment.
In addition to the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in Talakivka, Russia shelled other Christian sites in the region, destroying two churches. In Volnovakha, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Holy Faithful Queen Tamara churches were damaged and destroyed by shelling by Russian forces. The Church of St. George was also damaged and destroyed by the shelling. The church’s bakery was damaged and the rood was destroyed.