Yanukovych's Representative Submits to Parliament Bill on Renewal of Tithe Church

President Viktor Yanukovych’s representative in the Supreme Council, Yurii Miroshnychenko, proposes to renew the Tithe Church in Kyiv. A bill “On Revival of a Unique Symbol of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, the Church of the Mother of God (Tithe Church) in Kyiv” has been registered in the Supreme Council on September 21. 

The ruins of the ancient Tithe Church has recently become a subject of heated discussions. Let us remind that on September 7, the Supreme Council of Ukraine considered a draft resolution on ensuring the observance of the laws on the protection of monuments (to prevent construction on the territory of the monument of archeology of national significance “City of Volodymyr, the Dytynets of the ancient Kyiv with the foundations of the Tithe Church.”) The draft resolution was submitted by deputies Yaroslav Dzhodzhyk and Yurii Kostenko.

The voting was as follows: 112 deputies supported the resolution, 1 was against it, 248 did not vote. Therefore, the decision was not taken.

The explanatory note attached to the draft resolution says that the preserved underground foundation of the original Tithe Church, which has absorbed the spiritual achievements of the past, plays today the role of a living witness of the traditions of many centuries for our and future generations. According to Resolution 928 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “Bringing objects of cultural heritage of national significance to the State Register of Immovable Monuments of Ukraine” of September 3, 2009, the remnants of the foundation of the Tithe Church are an archeological monument of the national importance. In addition this monument is protected by UNESCO.

The document says that on the instruction of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Kyiv City Council held a tender of concepts to conserve and make a museum on the foundation of the Tithe Church and create an architectural ensemble. Despite the direct prohibition by the international and Ukrainian law to carry out any construction in the territory of historic monuments, the winner concept envisages the construction in the place of the unique monument of a new religious building of one of the numerous denominations registered in Ukraine. On May 25, 2011, equipment was transported to the foundation of the Tithe Church and preparation for construction began.

“Extensive construction with the use of reinforced concrete pales and networks threaten considerable cultural and historic losses. The renewed object will no longer be considered a monument of cultural heritage. In addition, a number of archeologists strongly warn about noncorrespondence of the reconstruction of the Tithe Church to the present city development situation,” stresses the explanatory note.