The Dormition Cathedral, located in the historic Kiev Pechersk Lavra, lost more than 80% of its roof as a result of an attack that occurred during the night of the past weekend. The authorities responsible for the complex estimate that full restoration will require at least two years of work and that the damage already exceeds 500 million hryvnias, about 9.6 million euros.
According to the German Catholic agency KNA, the director of the national reserve that manages the monastery, Maxim Ostapenko, reported that the fire caused by the impact severely damaged the main cathedral of the monastic complex, although emergency teams managed to prevent the flames from spreading inside the church.
Restoration will last several years
Ostapenko explained that reconstruction will require at least two years of specialized work. The efforts will have to focus mainly on restoring the domes and the roof of the Dormition Cathedral, the parts most affected by the fire.
The head of the complex noted that the rapid intervention of the emergency services prevented the fire from reaching the interior of the church, limiting the damage to the exterior structures.
Nineteen buildings were affected
In addition to the main cathedral, eighteen other buildings of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra suffered damage during the attack. Among the most affected structures is also one of the historic defensive towers of the complex.
Initial estimates place the economic losses above 500 million hryvnias, equivalent to about 9.6 million euros. The authorities continue to assess the full extent of the damage.
Since Sunday, the monastery has remained closed to pilgrims and visitors for security reasons. However, the management of the national reserve hopes that public services may resume in the Dormition Cathedral within a few months, once a temporary roof is installed.
A monastery with almost a thousand years of history
Founded in 1051, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra is among the most important religious centers of the Slavic Orthodox tradition. Since 1990 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The complex, also known as the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, consists of churches, monastic buildings and an extensive system of caves that for centuries has attracted pilgrims from various regions of Eastern Europe.
International reactions
The attack provoked reactions from various religious and cultural institutions. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople condemned the damage caused to the monastery and expressed its support for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
For its part, the German Commission for UNESCO recalled that the monastic complex is protected by the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, a treaty ratified by both Ukraine and Russia.
UNESCO itself also condemned the damage suffered by the Dormition Cathedral and noted that the attack affected one of the sites inscribed on the World Heritage list.
Damage to one of Ukraine’s main religious monuments
Ukrainian authorities are now working on stabilizing the affected structures and developing a restoration plan that will allow the complex to gradually return to normal operation.
While assessment and repair work continues, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra will remain closed to the public, although its managers are confident that liturgical celebrations can be partially resumed in the coming months.