Minister of culture to transfer the church of St Sophia of Kyiv to the Ukrainian Orthodox of Kyiv Patriarchate

The Refectory Church beside St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv (also styled as the ‘Little’ or ‘Warm’ Sophia) will be transferred for free use to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate for “renewal of worship.”

This was reported by archeologist and former employee of the National Reserve “St Sophia of Kyiv”Timur Bobrovskyy on his Facebook page, Istorychna Pravda reports.

He said that the church was specially equipped for exhibitions. In one room restorers cleared and converted to museum status a fragment of floor of XVIII century. Everything was done by means of public funds.

“Now all this will be changed and rearranged again. This will reduce exposure area of ​​the reserve, hide in the store the valuable exhibits, block these museum remains,” Bobrovskyy said. “For what sake is it done? For the sake of political PR of the Popular Front [current Minister Vyacheslav Kyrylenko is a member of this party]?”

The Refectory Church of St Sofia is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site, the archaeologist said. For nearly a decade the organization under UN requests a management plan for Reserve development from Ukraine.

"Since there is no document, then there are no restrictions,” Bobrovskyy writes. “Now they decided to give Little Sofia to priests. Do not worry; tomorrow they will bring the issue of the Great Sophia on the agenda.”

According to scientists, when the UNESCO learns about the situation, a scandal will emerge. The voluntarist decision taken by the Ministry of Culture without developing a management plan, therefore the risks of transfer of the museum territory under clerical management have not been calculated.

“If someone thinks that clergymen are people of special spirituality, remember how they treat the cultural heritage: the MP [Moscow Patriarchate] in Lavra, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in St. Andrew's Church, and the same UOC-KP - the historic buildings on the Old Kyivan Hill,” the poster said.

The Warm or Little Sofia is the former refectory church of St. Sophia monastery in Kyiv, Ukrainian baroque architectural monument. It was built in 1722-1730.

In 1822, it was rebuilt into the winter (heated) Church of the Nativity according to the design of Andriy Malanskyy. Since then, as opposed to the cathedral that is cold in winter, it is known as ‘warm’.

The complex of buildings of the monastery of St. Sophia Cathedral has been listed as a World Heritage monument under No. 527”Cultural heritage of national importance.”

Now it is used as an exhibition hall of the National Reserve "St Sophia of Kyiv." It hosts the exhibition "Temple. City. State" and the lapidary of the National Reserve “St Sophia of Kyiv.”