UGCC Church of the Holy Trinity on Fire in Poltava
On January 13, at about 10:00 PM, a fire broke out in the Church of the Holy Trinity of the Kharkiv Exarchate of the UGCC in Poltava. Four fire brigades extinguished the fire, the press service of the Kharkiv Exarchate reports.
The church building was saved from destruction. However, the iconostasis and valuable icons, including several dozen embroidered images crafted since the early 2000s by the church parishioner, Mrs. Kateryna Yakymenko, and the priest’s wife, Mrs. Valentyna Krolevska, were completely destroyed. Other items burned in the fire included wall and ceiling cladding, furniture, and household items.
The Blessed Sacrament in the sanctuary miraculously survived (only part of the tabernacle was slightly damaged). The parts of the relics of Saints Josaphat Kuntsevych, Vasyl Velychkovsky, and Fr. Pio, which were kept in the church, also survived intact.
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the Greek Catholic Church in eastern Ukraine during the war because, along with local residents, Poltava has a vast number of immigrants from the war zone and occupied territories. Both spiritual care and comprehensive support for the Ukrainian military, which is provided through the activities of this parish, are vital.
We kindly request all those who care to offer their support to the parish of the Holy Trinity in Poltava in these difficult times with prayer and, if possible, with a financial contribution to the card 4731 2196 1438 2830 (Fr. Yuriy Krolevsky, rector).
The UGCC Department for Information
