Military Church to be Built Near Kyiv

On the initiative of the Defense Ministry and State Committee for Family and Youth Affairs, it was decided to revive the tradition of churches for the military, starting at this institution of learning currently enrolling 13-14-year-old orphans from the families of servicemen killed in the line of duty.

Patrons were found for the temple: the Instar construction firm, in the person of its Director General Mykola Filimonov. The project was supported by Vitaly Klychko (photo) flying to Kyiv for several days to defend his thesis and attending the cornerstone and consecration ceremony together with his father. Incidentally, the brothers Klychko come from a career army officer’s family. The church was designed by Ukrproektspetsrestavratsiya architects Yuri Dmytrevych and Valery Cherniavsky. They say that the house of God will be erected in accordance with Orthodox construction canons; the structure will consist of the temple proper and a lecture hall.

The builder promises to finish foundation works in one and a half to two months and the church by the end of 2000.

The cornerstone and cross were consecrated by the Hegumen Mark of the Kyiv-Pecherska Lavra Monastery of the Caves.