A landmark in Chernihiv: the Moscow Patriarchate has permanently lost another cathedral.

One of the most remarkable monuments of Chernihiv, the Spaso-Preobrazhensky or Spassky Cathedral, has come under the control of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The Cassation Economic Court of the Supreme Court issued a ruling on the lawsuit filed by the Chernihiv Diocese of the UOC MP. This was reported by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications.

The proceedings lasted over a year and a half, with the case being reviewed by various court instances.

As a result, a decision was made in favor of the National Architectural and Historical Reserve "Ancient Chernihiv" — the 11th-century church can no longer be used by the UOC MP. The National Architectural and Historical Reserve "Ancient Chernihiv" called this ruling "historic".

The Spaso-Preobrazhensky or Spassky Cathedral in Chernihiv is an 11th-century structure, one of the oldest in Ukraine and a key landmark of Chernihiv. It is one of the oldest preserved monumental stone buildings in Ukraine and the main structure of the Chernihiv Principality.

Construction began in the first half of the 11th century and was completed by Yaroslav the Wise's son, Svyatoslav, who took over the Chernihiv Principality after the death of Mstislav.

In 2023, the cathedral was transferred by the Ministry of Culture to the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Consequently, the UOC filed a lawsuit, which it ultimately lost after a year and a half. The proceedings were initiated back in March 2023 and were reviewed by various court instances.

Recall that in August 2024, representatives of the OCU and UOC met for debates for the first time. They discussed a new law requiring religious organizations with a central leadership in Russia to cease operations in Ukraine.