The Cherkasy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has asserted its rights to the complex of St. Michael’s Cathedral

The Cherkasy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has denied claims that the complex of buildings surrounding St. Michael’s Cathedral in Cherkasy may be abandoned. The diocese asserts that the cathedral complex was established and built with its participation using donations from the faithful and benefactors, and also reported on the restoration of title documents and the legal defense of the UOC’s interests.

According to DOZOR on “Pershyi Kozats’kyi” , citing a statement from the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC, the matter concerns the complex of buildings located at 212 Nadpolna Street, Cherkasy. The reason for the appeal was the circulation of information regarding the local community’s potential acquisition of communal property rights to the specified property.

The diocese emphasized that it does not agree with the assumption that the property complex is potentially ownerless. According to the church, the St. Michael’s Cathedral complex has been under construction by the Cherkasy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church since 1999, funded by voluntary donations from believers and benefactors. The diocese states that it initiated the construction, commissioned the work, and provided the funding, organization, and development of the church complex.

To substantiate its legal connection to the property, the Cherkasy Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church cites a number of documents. Among them are Resolution No. 929 of the Executive Committee of the Cherkasy City Council dated August 21, 2001, granting the diocese a land plot measuring 12.0583 hectares for permanent use, decisions by local government bodies regarding the construction of the complex, as well as the technical inventory and technical passport, for which, according to the diocese’s statement, the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC was the commissioning party.

The statement also mentions land management documentation confirming the actual use of the land plot and the location of the building complex on it, as well as other documents which, according to the diocese, attest to the construction, maintenance, and continuous use of the property.

The Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC stated that it is currently in the process of restoring the title and registration documents for this real estate complex in accordance with the requirements of Ukrainian law. The diocese separately noted that the current lack of state registration of ownership rights does not in itself imply the absence of an owner and cannot serve as grounds for concluding that the property is ownerless.

Furthermore, the statement refers to the judicial protection of the rights of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to the statement, by a ruling of the Kyiv Economic Court dated July 22, 2026, in Case No. 910/8383/26, proceedings were initiated on the basis of a lawsuit filed by the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC against the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine seeking to have the ministry’s order declared unlawful and revoked. The diocese believes that this confirms the existence of a legal dispute regarding the rights and legitimate interests of the UOC.

The Cherkasy Diocese also linked the need to restore the documents to the events of October 17, 2024, which the statement describes as an illegal seizure by representatives of another denomination. According to the diocese, prior to these events, it had openly owned, used, and maintained the complex in question for more than 23 years.

In conclusion, the Cherkasy Diocese of the UOC called on state authorities and local government bodies to take the circumstances outlined into account and to refrain from actions that the diocese considers unlawful. The statement also emphasizes that the Cherkasy Diocese reserves the right to defend its rights and legitimate interests by all means provided for by the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, including through the courts.