In Chernivtsi, the prosecutor's office is seeking a court order to have the oldest wooden church transferred to the state

The Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor’s Office has initiated legal proceedings aimed at formalizing state ownership of the St. Nicholas Church—the city’s oldest wooden church, built in 1607. The reason for filing the lawsuit was the lack of a preservation agreement for this architectural monument.

Representatives of the supervisory agency emphasize that the lack of proper legal status hinders the proper maintenance of the site. Without the necessary documentation, it becomes impossible to carry out timely restoration and repair work, which jeopardizes the preservation of this unique wooden structure.

The St. Nicholas Church, often referred to by locals as the “Cossack Church,” is of immense historical significance. According to legend, Hetman Petro Sahaidachny prayed within these walls before the Battle of Khotyn; the funeral service for Tymosh Khmelnytsky was held here; and Hetman Ivan Mazepa visited the church after the Battle of Poltava. Despite its status as a cultural heritage site, the issue of formalizing its documentation remained unresolved for a long time.

Currently, the Chernivtsi District Administrative Court has already opened proceedings on this claim. The prosecutor’s office insists on the need to rectify legal violations and grant the shrine state-protected status.

As a reminder, we previously reported that the Buchach District Prosecutor’s Office initiated legal proceedings in the Ternopil District Administrative Court, demanding that the State Agency for Cultural Heritage of Ukraine ( ) register state ownership of the architectural monument of national significance — the 16th-century St. George’s Church, which is currently used by the local community of the OCU. The church is located in the village of Kasperovtsy in the Chertkovsky District.