The Ukrainian Ministry of Culture has transferred the Holy Trinity Church in Zhovkva to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for long-term use

The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine has decided to transfer the building of the Church of the Holy Trinity, located in the city of Zhovkva in the Lviv region, to the religious community of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) for use free of charge. According to Interfax-Ukraine, the historic architectural monument has been transferred to the religious organization for a period of 49 years.

According to the ministry’s Order No. 1524 dated November 7, 2026, the church will be used by the community to hold worship services and religious ceremonies. At the same time, the building retains its status as an architectural monument of national significance and is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the “Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Region” site. The terms of the transfer stipulate adherence to a schedule that ensures the preservation of the monument’s museum, scientific, educational, and conservation functions.

The Wooden Church of the Holy Trinity was built in 1720 with funds from parishioners on the site of an older church dating from 1601. During the Soviet period, the church was closed, and in the 1970s, it underwent extensive restoration. In 2013, the site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and between 2019 and 2022, the church’s iconostasis was successfully restored.

As a reminder, the authorities of the Chortkiv District in the Ternopil Region officially granted the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) the right to use the church in the village of Verkhnjakovtsy free of charge. The corresponding decision was formalized on July 22, 2026.