Authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk have approved the construction of an OCU church in a recreational area, despite protests from local residents

The OCU religious community has received official permission to build the “Cathedral of the Galician Saints” in a recreational area near the city lake in Ivano-Frankivsk. According to ZAXID.NET, the State Inspectorate of Architecture and Urban Planning made the decision on October 16.

According to the project documentation, the future church will be built on a 0.07-hectare plot of land located across from a chapel with a spring. The building, up to 21 meters tall, is designed to accommodate 120 parishioners. The architectural design features a three-tiered structure crowned with a dome, and the exterior will be finished with natural stone and ceramic tiles, intended to give the building the appearance of ancient Greek Orthodox churches.

Construction work will be carried out by the company “Galitsky Dvor” on behalf of the parish of the Ivano-Frankivsk Diocese of the OCU. It is worth noting that the issue of development in the area near the lake had previously sparked widespread public debate. Last year, city residents opposed the construction of a Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on the same site, fearing the loss of a recreational area. As a result of protests and petitions, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church decided to abandon its project. The current construction project is supported by the city administration, in particular by Mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv.