Chernihiv authorities refuse to transfer Transfiguration Cathedral to OCU control

The authorities of Chernihiv have decided not to transfer the Transfiguration Cathedral to the OCU, despite its seizure from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The oldest shrine of the 11th century is planned to be granted the status of a museum, similar to St. Sophia of Kyiv.

According to Ukrinform, citing a statement by Natalia Rebrova, director general of the National Architectural and Historical Reserve Chernihiv Ancient, the cathedral should not be transferred to any religious community for permanent use. The official emphasized that an object of this level requires “high professionalism” and “deep understanding,” and its operation should be in the interests of the state.

Rebrova called the 11th-century church “the sibling of St. Sophia” and stated that after the closure of the cathedral to UOC believers in 2023, the city’s residents allegedly began to discover it in a new, cultural capacity. She is convinced that the monument must remain a center of cultural and public life, and not an exclusively religious object.

In October 2023, the Transfiguration, Trinity, and Assumption Cathedrals were taken away from the Chernihiv Eparchy of the UOC by representatives of the Ministry of Culture with the support of armed men. The official pretext was “urgent restoration,” while the churches were sealed and closed to parishioners before the end of the trial.