UOC-MP ordered by court to return Assumption Cathedral in Kaniv to state

The court ordered the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC (MP) to return the twelfth-century Assumption (St. George) Cathedral, located in Kaniv, Cherkasy region, to state ownership. This was reported on Wednesday by the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office, UNN reports.

At the suit of the Smila District Prosecutor's Office of Cherkasy region, the court ordered the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC (MP) to return to state ownership the cultural heritage site of national significance - the twelfth-century Assumption (St. George) Cathedral

As noted, the Assumption Cathedral is an ancient church from the times of Kievan Rus, built in 1144 by Prince Vsevolod Olhovych.

In 2003, the executive committee of the Kaniv City Council granted permission to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) to register ownership of the archaeological site. This was the basis for the registration of collective ownership, the PGO said.

Prosecutors proved in court that the transfer of the Assumption Cathedral building was illegal. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the law explicitly prohibits the alienation of state-owned cultural heritage sites.

The court declared illegal and canceled the decision of the executive committee of the Kaniv City Council, the certificate of ownership of the building for the UOC (MP), and canceled the state registration of property rights to the cultural heritage site of national importance

The estimated cost of the Assumption Cathedral building is over UAH 8.5 million.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the court has upheld the claim of the district prosecutor's office in the interests of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine against the executive committee of the Kaniv City Council and the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC (MP).

Recall

The Northwest Commercial Court of Appeal ruled that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate must return the Tereshchenko Palace to state ownership.