Russian troops destroyed the Church in the village of Bohorodychne

On May 19, 2022, the Church of the Holy Mother of God ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow’ in the village of Bohorodychne, the Donetsk region, was destroyed by Russian shelling.

According to Ukrainian Institute, the stone church dedicated to the icon of the Mother of God, ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow’ was first built here in 1847, along with three schools and several other buildings. During the Soviet period, when the anti-religious policy was actively promoted, the church was closed and completely dismantled, and a cemetery nearby was turned into a garbage dump. During World War II, Nazi shelling and bombing destroyed their remains.

The religious life of the local community began to revive only after 1991 when Ukraine regained independence. In 2000, at the expense of benefactors, worshipers, and local residents, the foundations of the modern Church of the Holy Mother of God were laid again. In 5 years, a white and blue five-domed church in the neoclassical style with baroque elements was built.

The church became the Holy Mother of God convent of the Sviatohirsk Lavra, and in 2008, the ancient icon of the Holy Mother of God ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow’ was returned to the church. According to legend, the village of Bohorodychne got its name from this icon.

After the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the convent in the village of Bohorodychne became a refuge for local residents who hid in the basements of the church. On May 19, 2022, as a result of shelling, the Church of the Holy Mother of God ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow’ was utterly destroyed.

Russian troops have been purposely destroying Ukrainian cultural and religious establishments. As of January 26, 2023, at least 307 religious buildings in 15 regions of Ukraine were destroyed or damaged due to Russian shelling and bombing. Among them are churches, mosques, synagogues, as well as educational and administrative buildings of different religious communities in Ukraine.