CV NEWS FEED // The Knights of Columbus (KoC) are helping fund a collaborative effort to help preserve historic Catholic churches in Ukraine that are endangered by proximity to the country’s ongoing war against Russia.
According to an April 1 KoC news release, conservationists have been “racing to create detailed records of Ukraine’s historic churches,” as the buildings face daily threats of destruction from rockets flying overhead.
Since October 2023, the Knights have been working in collaboration with Red Arch Cultural Heritage Law and Policy Research, a US nonprofit organization dedicated to cultural preservation, to fund these conservation efforts.
“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.
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,” said Maletskiy “Our task is to preserve this heritage for future generations and multiply it.”
One of the churches mentioned in the release is the 18th-century Holy Trinity Cathedral in Novomoskovsk, which features a cluster of nine towers built entirely out of wood, notably without a single nail.
The release continued:
Unfortunately, this pearl of what is called Cossack Baroque architecture is currently located less than 75 miles from the front line between Ukraine and Russia; rockets regularly fly overhead.
And it is far from the only church endangered by the war. As of February 2024, the United Nations has verified damage to nearly 130 religious buildings since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Knights’ Standing with Ukraine Solidarity Fund has contributed $22,392,088 to charitable programs for Ukrainians affected by the war.
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Author: Madalaine Elhabbal
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