Holy Trinity Cathedral in Novomoskovsk, Ukraine by Roman NMSK / Wikimedia Commons
CV NEWS FEED // The Knights of Columbus are financially helping preserve historic Catholic churches in Ukraine that are endangered by the war against Russia.
According to an April 1 KoC news release, the 18th-century Holy Trinity Cathedral in Novomoskovsk, which features a cluster of nine towers that were built entirely out of wood without any nails, is among the churches that are vulnerable to destruction, according to the release. The Cathedral is less than 75 miles from the front lines.
“Rockets regularly fly overhead,” the release said.
Nearly 130 religious buildings, as of February, have sustained damage since the Russian invasion, the United Nations found, according to the release.
Conservationists have been racing to create detailed records of Ukraine’s historic churches. Since October 2023, the Knights have collaborated with Red Arch Cultural Heritage Law and Policy Research, a U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to cultural preservation, to fund these conservation efforts. The Knights’ Standing with Ukraine Solidarity Fund has contributed $22.4 million to charitable programs for Ukrainians affected by the war.
“Experts and students have been using K of C-funded laser-scanning equipment to produce 3D maps of vulnerable wooden structures that could be used to restore them if they are damaged,” the release said.
Ukraine State Deputy Youriy Maletskiy emphasized the importance of the Knights’ role in providing critical aid to this cause, noting that Ukraine is home to over 2,000 of its members.
“It is through architecture, through the churches that exist, that one can understand the very spirituality of the people of a country,” Maletskiy said in the release. “Our task is to preserve this heritage for future generations and multiply it.”
