Russians damage Holy Dormition Cathedral belonging to pro-Russia Orthodox wing in Kherson
On Monday 29 September, Russian forces bombarded Kherson, damaging the building of the Dormition Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP).
Source: Kherson Eparchy Social Service on Facebook
Details: According to the post, a service was being held in the church at the time of the attack. No casualties were reported.
"At around 09:30, during the Russian attack on Kherson, one of the shells hit the roof of the cathedral's central altar. At that time, the Divine Liturgy was being celebrated in the St Nicholas Chapel," church staff reported.
Fragments of the structure crumbled from the roof of the cathedral, a hole from the blast appeared in the ceiling, and both inside and outside the cathedral bricks and wooden debris were visible.
History of the Cathedral
Russian forces have damaged the cathedral several times before. On the night of 13-14 December 2023, the main dome was struck directly by a shell. On 4 February 2024, another attack damaged the façade, windows and entrance doors.
The Holy Dormition Cathedral in Kherson was built in 1798 at the initiative of local merchants. Constructed of brick in the cross-in-square style, it originally featured a wooden bell tower, which was rebuilt in stone in 1833. The first restoration works took place in the mid-19th century.
The cathedral housed a large library, and in 1853 the vicariate of Kherson bishops was established there.
After the war of 1918–1920, Kherson was occupied by the Bolsheviks, who set up a Commission for the Separation of Church and State. In 1922, an agreement was concluded with the parish of the Holy Dormition Cathedral for the transfer of church property into leasehold use.
During Soviet industrialisation, the authorities ordered the removal of all elements containing copper, silver, bronze and other non-ferrous metals. In 1931, the cathedral was converted into a sports hall.
With Ukraine's independence, restoration of the cathedral's activities began. In September 1993, the building was returned to the community, whose charter had been officially registered on 15 November 1991.
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