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St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral Kyiv by Flickr –Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Interesting Facts About St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral

Built during the late 19th century to mark 900 years of Orthodox Christianity in Ukraine, St Volodymyr’s Cathedral has arguably the most eye-catching exterior and interior décor. On July 15, 1852, during the reign of Prince Volodymyr I, also known as St. Volodymyr the Great, St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral was commissioned by St. Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow in commemoration of the 900th anniversary of the Baptism of the Kyivan Rus.

The Orthodox believers, along with the Metropolitan and Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Monastery, a brick factory in Kyiv, had made contributions to aid the construction of the Cathedral. Over the years, this beautiful church situated in Kyiv, Ukraine, has survived throughout the world wars and the communist era.

The following are the top 10 interesting facts about St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral

1. St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral Is One Of The Major Landmarks Of Kyiv City

Exterior of the Cathedralby Pomah Haymob –

Located in the very heart of the capital city of Kyiv in Ukraine, St Volodymyr’s Cathedral is an attractive landmark with its striking yellow walls and indigo cupolas. This impressive architectural site is topped with seven domes, one of which is 49 meters high.

The interior of the Cathedral is embedded with numerous mosaics, beautifully crafted by Venetian artists under the guidance of Professor A. Prakhov.

2.St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral Is Made Using The Neo-Byzantine Architectural Style

Side view of St Volodymyr;s Cathedral by Alexostrov-

Originally designed by Alexander Vikentievich Beretti, St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral is built and decorated using the unique neo-Byzantine architectural style, which leaves a lasting mystical impression on any visitor. This architectural monument features a yellow exterior, six piers, seven blue domes, and three spectacular apses.

The entrance to this house of worship is embellished with florid relief bronze sculptures of St. Olga against a blue background. At the same time, the interiors are adorned with white marble iconostasis brought from Carrara, mosaics, paintings, and vibrant frescoes. The mosaic work was done by Venetian artists, while the iconostasis work was executed by a collaboration between Slavic and Italian artists.

3.The Cathedral’s Plan Was First Laid Out On Paper In 1852, But The Project Was Fully Completed In 1896

Religious services held in front of St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral,Kyiv, 1918 by Library of Congress – Wikimedia Commons

Aleksandr Beretti first designed the Cathedral’s original plan featuring 13 cupolas in 1852. However, due to other problems such as lack of funds and structural defects, the architects were confined to just seven cupolas. Full construction finally began in 1872. In 1875 R. Bernhardt made significant structural modifications to the design, and in 1876 Vladimir Nikolaev took responsibility for overseeing the project through to completion.

Painting of the interior and décor finishings by many leading Ukrainian and Russian artists took another 37 years. The major artists and painters who contributed to the interior of the Cathedral include V. Vasnetsov, teachers and pupils of the Kyiv Drawing School, M. Nesterov, Wilhelm Kotarbiński, P. Świedomski, Adrian Prakhov, and Mikhail Vrubel. The Cathedral was finally opened to the public in 1882 and in 1896, it was presented to Tsar Nicolas II of Russia and his wife.

4.St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral Is The Mother Cathedral Of The Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Since 2018, St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral has been the mother cathedral of the new Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which seceded from the Kyiv Patriarchate.

5.The “Holy Mother Of God” On The Altar Apse Of St. Volodymyr Was Painted By Viktor Vasnetsov  

Interior of St Volodymyr’s Cathedral Kyiv by Jorge Franganillo – Wikimedia Commons

The monumental mural of the “Holy Mother of God ” placed in the central apse of the Cathedral is among Viktor Vasnetsov’s works. It is believed that on one early morning at his usual work, he and his guide Professor A. Prakhov explicitly saw a shadow of the figure of the Mother of God with an infant in her arms on the altar wall.

Immediately, he climbed the scaffolding and began quickly drawing and painting the miraculous image that was slowly fading away. This eye-catching mystery saw the painting of a sacred image, which is still considered the world’s masterpiece to date.

6.St Volodymyr’s Cathedral Converted Into An Anti-religious Museum In The Early 1920s

During the Polish-Soviet War of 1920, St. Volodomyr’s Cathedral was in danger of being damaged. After the Russian Revolution, the Cathedral was seized by the Soviet forces and turned into an anti-religious museum.

7.After The War, The Cathedral Was Reopened As One Of The Few Functioning Orthodox Churches In The USSR

After World War II, the Cathedral was reopened and has remained open to this day. It was then the main church of the Kyiv Metropolitan Ukrainian Exarchate and was one of the few places in the USSR where tourists could openly go to worship in an Orthodox Church.

In 1988, St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral saw the revival of Orthodox religion when the millennium celebration of the Baptism of Rus marked a change in Soviet policy on religion.

8.After The Dissolution Of The Soviet Union, St Volodymyr’s Cathedral Ownership Became Subject Of Controversy  Between Two Sections Of The Ukrainian Orthodox Church

After Ukraine’s Independence in 1991, a dispute over the Cathedral’s ownership was contested between the traditional Ukrainian Orthodox Church aligned to the Moscow Patriarchate and the new Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which established its own Kyivan Patriarchate. The new Ukrainian Orthodox Church won the ownership of the cathedral and actively conducts services.

9.The Relics Of St Barbara Were Transferred To St Volodymyr’s From St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery

According to legend, Saint Barbara of the 3rd Century AD was executed by her pagan father, Dioscorus, when she refused to denounce her Christian faith. In the 12th century, her relics were transported from Constantinople to the Golden-Domed St. Michael’s Monastery in Kyiv, where they were kept until the 1930s.

Then, following destruction threats from the Bolsheviks, St. Barbara’s remains were brought to St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral and have since remained there.

10.At Present, St. Volodymyr Cathedral Is Owned By The Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Spiritual leaders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church allied to the Kyiv Patriarchy continue to conduct religious services and prayers in St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral. Besides all the religious holidays and ceremonies usually conducted here, legions of people who frequent the Cathedral also get to enjoy the Cathedral choir, which is often joined by opera singers.