In Kharkiv region, a 160-year-old wooden St. Nicholas Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was destroyed in a fire

on May 31, a devastating fire occurred in the village of Russky Orchik in Kharkiv region, as a result of which the St. Nicholas Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was completely destroyed. The ancient building, which stood for about 160 years, was a unique monument of architecture and history of the region.

According to the press service of the Kharkiv diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the shrine was lost due to an emergency. The ruling bishop expressed his deep condolences to the rector and parishioners of the community, noting that the scale of the destruction makes the restoration of the historical appearance an extremely difficult task. The diocese also assured that they offer prayers for the speedy revival of the temple.

According to the local history website “Shukach”, St. Nicholas Church was a valuable example of wooden architecture. The building was erected of wood on a stone plinth and was characterized by exquisite carved elements. The interior of the temple was decorated with wall paintings and unique works of arts and crafts, which were irretrievably lost in the fire.

The loss of the church was a heavy loss not only for the Orthodox community of the village of Russky Orchik, but also for the entire historical and cultural heritage of Kharkiv region. The lost church was one of the few preserved wooden buildings of such age in the area.

We shall remind you that on April 3, 2026, in the village of Telchi, Lutsk district, there was a fire in a temporary building, which was used by the community of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for prayer. As a result of the fire, the building was partially destroyed and the church property was damaged, but a significant part of the utensils were saved.