Church of the Tithes: what happened?
The Mongols destroyed the original Church of the Tithes in Ukraine in 1240 during the siege of Kyiv by Batu Khan. In 2024, the Ukrainian government allowed the removal of a small illegal church that a Russian church in Ukraine built in 2012 near the foundation of the original Church of the Tithes.
Illegal fake Church that the Russian church in Ukraine called an original
The Church of the Tithes arose in the 10th century. It was during the reign of Prince Volodymyr the Great as the first stone church in Kyivan Rus. The Mongols destroyed it in 1240 during the siege of Kyiv.
Original Church of the Tithes
After this, no one rebuilt the Church until 1828-1842. But then Russian Emperor Nicholas I gave the order to construct a new church. However, the Soviets destroyed this “New Church” in 1935.
Today, only the foundation of the original Church remains, and it is preserved. Therefore, the original Church the Mongols destroyed in 1240.
What church was dismantled?
The location of the original Church of the Tithes was Starokyivska Hill, the historical center of Kyiv. In 2012, the Russian church in Ukraine built a small illegal church near the foundation of the original Church of the Tithes. Russian church in Ukraine referred to this structure as the “Church of the Tithes”, although it had no connection to the original historical monument.
In 2024, a court allowed the demolition of this illegal church, as it was constructed in a UNESCO buffer zone where new construction is prohibited.
Russian propagandists exploited the similarity between the names “Church of the Tithes” and “Tithe Temple (2012)” to spread disinformation, claiming that Ukraine had destroyed the original historic church. This is entirely false. Ukraine dismantled the illegal church built in 2012.
To summarize, Ukraine is not persecuting religion or destroying historical monuments. What Ukraine is doing is removing the Russian state church and its agents from its territory.
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