tithes church ukraine kyiv

Tithes Church Ukrainians did not destroy. The situation regarding the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) ban has gained significant attention both in Ukraine and abroad. What does this mean, is religion truly being banned in Ukraine, and was the Tithes Church destroyed?

church of the tithes, tithe church kyiv, yana matviychuk

Tithes Church. Russian church in Ukraine (UOCMP) and its ties to the Russian official church (ROC)

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) is historically tied to the Russian Orthodox Church. After Ukraine regained independence in 1991, the Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) did not sever its connections with Russia and continued to operate in Ukraine. It is critical to understand that both the Russian official church (ROC) and the Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) function as Russia’s state church. Their clergy obey the Kremlin and promote pro-Russian views.

Why is the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) a state church?

russian chuch stalin

The Russian Orthodox Church created Joseph Stalin, a tyrant, in 1943. Although Stalin was a staunch communist, he revived the Russian Orthodox Church during World War II because the Soviet Union needed weapons from the United States. However, Americans questioned why they should provide arms to an atheist Soviet Union. To address this, Stalin decided to revive the church and place it under his control. This situation has remained unchanged: the Russian Orthodox Church remains under full state control and has become an intelligence agency.

What is happening in Ukraine now?

In September 2024, the Ukrainian Law “On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Religious Organizations” No. 3894-IX came into force. According to this law, all religious organizations affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine must cease their activities. It is important to note here that in Russia, the Orthodox Church is the church of the state, and the Ukrainian people oppose having a Russian state church operate in Ukraine.

The Russian Church in Ukraine = The Anglican Church in the USA

The Russian Orthodox Church is the parent church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. This makes it a foreign church operating in Ukraine. The existence of the Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) can be compared to the Anglican Church in the USA, which was subordinated to London but operated in the United States. Essentially, it is a religious organization with foreign roots.

In the USA, conservative Christians fought for years to separate from the Anglican Church to rid themselves of colonial oppression. After gaining independence, the USA established the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States. Similarly, Ukraine created the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) to rid itself of Russian colonial influence.

Both the USA in the past and Ukraine today used the same approach to eliminate foreign influence and build independent states.

Thus, the ban on the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine is a necessary step for national security. Similarly, the USA took action in the 18th century to rid itself of the Crown’s influence.

What happened to the Tithes Church?

Mongols destroyed the original Tithes Church in Ukraine in 1240 during the siege of Kyiv by Batu Khan. In 2024 Ukrainian government decided to demolish a small illegal church the Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) built near the foundation of the Tithes Church in 2012.

tithes church kyiv

To summarize, Ukraine is not persecuting religion nor destroying historical monuments. What Ukraine is doing is removing the Russian state church and its agents from its territory.

Details:

Why has Ukraine banned the Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP)?

In 2018, the Ecumenical Patriarchate granted the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) the Tomos of Autocephaly, creating an alternative to the Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP). Many parishioners chose to join the independent Ukrainian church, which led to transitions from one jurisdiction to another. However, pro-Russian clergy resisted these changes, even when local communities voted for the transitions. Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) representatives often forcefully retained their positions.

The Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) poses a significant threat to national security, as evidenced by investigations conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine. Police found propaganda materials justifying Russian aggression in the Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) monasteries and churches. For instance, in 2022, during a search of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and other Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) monasteries, brochures promoting the “Russian world” ideology were discovered.

In 2023, evidence emerged that some Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) clergy called for prayers for the “Russian military,” not as prayers for forgiveness, but for victory in the invasion of Ukraine. Bishop Longin of the Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) was repeatedly accused of pro-Russian rhetoric and inciting followers.

russian church in ukraine

Russian flag and literature found in Russian monastery in Ukraine

The Tithes Church: Mongols destroyed it in 1240

Prince Volodymyr the Great built The Tithes Church in the 10th century as the first stone church in Kyivan Rus. Mongols destroyed it in 1240 during the siege of Kyiv. After this, it was not rebuilt until 1828-1842, under the order of Russian Emperor Nicholas I. However, the Soviets destroyed this “New Tithes Church ” in 1935.

Today, only the foundation of the Tithes Church remains, and it is preserved. Therefore, Mongols destroyed the Tithes Church in 1240.

What church did Ukrainians dismantle?

The original Tithes Church was located on Starokyivska Hill, the historical center of Kyiv. In 2012, the Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) built a small illegal church near the foundation of the original Tithes Church. Russian church in Ukraine (UOC-MP)  referred this structure as the “Tithes Church”, although this building had no connection to the original historical monument.

tithes cathedral, tithes church

Illegal fake Tithes Church

In 2024, a court allowed the demolition of this illegal church, as the Russian church in Ukraine constructed it in a UNESCO buffer zone where new construction is prohibited.

Russian propagandists exploited the similarity between the names “Tithes Church” and “Tithe Temple (2012)” to spread disinformation, claiming that Ukraine had destroyed the original historic church. This is entirely false. The only structure dismantled was the illegal church built in 2012.

Learn more in this video: