Kyiv Catholics appeal to Zelensky over their church withheld by MinCulture

St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv. Photo: kyivvlada

The Catholic community of the Church of St. Nicholas in Kyiv has appealed to Zelensky, urging him to return their church, kyivvlada reports.

The Catholics stated that the Ministry of Culture is sabotaging the decision to transfer the cathedral and called on Zelensky not to ignore the Constitution of Ukraine.

They reminded that Zelensky attended the funeral of Pope Francis and held an "honorary place in the front row."

"For 20 years, starting from December 19, 2005, contrary to the directive of the President of Ukraine, the Ministry of Culture has been sabotaging the transfer of the church to our religious community. Is this a conscious animosity in Ukraine towards the largest Catholic religious community in the world? We sincerely hope not, for our rights are clearly enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine," the community stated, adding that the Ministry of Culture "defends not European values, but the interests of the NBOCM (National Bureau for the Protection of Cultural Legacy – Trans.) structure, created back in Soviet times (1979) for the purpose of unity with Moscow."

The Catholics called on Zelensky to return the church as a testament to his commitment to Maidan and faith in God.

"Let this act be a testimony of your wisdom, your commitment to the ideals of Maidan and European values, your faith in God, and the future of Ukraine, built on the solid foundation of truth and justice," the community declared.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Zelensky expects the new pope to continue supporting Ukraine.

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