The Catholic community in Kharkiv

The documented history of the Catholic Church in Kharkiv dates back to the early 19th century. Geographically, the city belonged to the world’s largest Archdiocese of Mohyliv , established on the initiative of Catherine II by Pope Pius VI in 1783. In this burgeoning urban centre , the Catholic community grew in number, comprising primarily Poles and Germans—mainly lecturers at the Imperial University of Kharkiv, military personnel, merchants and members of the liberal professions. The first parish priest in Kharkiv was a Pole, the Franciscan Father Hemilion Czapliński, who had previously carried out pastoral duties in Moscow. Services were held in makeshift premises at the First Grammar School, and subsequently at the university. In 1832 , the first — initially intended to be temporary — chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary was consecrated .

By 1886, the Kharkiv parish numbered nearly 3,000 parishioners; furthermore, 1,500 officers and soldiers from the local garrison were also Catholics. Housed in a small building at the start of what is now Gogol Street, the chapel could not accommodate everyone during services. Consequently, the Polish community decided to build a church on the same street. The process of its construction followed the established practice for building Catholic churches within the Russian Empire. This meant that, in most cases, the church’s design was drawn up and the building work supervised by a local architect – a Pole. The authorities granted permits for the construction of churches and parish premises. During the building work, however, the faithful endeavoured to make the most of their own skilled labour.

Bolesław Michałowski – builder of the Kharkiv church

The architect behind the Kharkiv church was Bolesław Michałowski ( 1830–1909), a well-known figure in the city, who worked as a municipal engineer for 35 years and ran a successful professional practice. He designed around 30 buildings in Kharkiv, which represent a unique feature of the city’s architecture. Michałowski was also a lecturer at the first real gymnasium in Kharkiv, a community activist, and an active participant in the life of the local Polish community. He was renowned for his exceptionally conscientious and responsible approach to work, which earned him widespread respect and esteem. He carried out the design and supervision of the project free of charge. In response to a proposal from the Roman Catholic parish council in Kharkiv to accept remuneration for the design and supervision of the construction of the new church, he wrote in his letter of 12 January 1887:

“As before, so now, I decline the offer of remuneration for my work. Many of the faithful are donating money towards the construction of the church, and I, in turn, wish to offer my labour.”

Later, he received the sum of 500 roubles from his grateful parishioners.

The construction of the church in Kharkiv

The foundation stone was laid in 1887. The construction of the church, financed by donations from Catholics, encountered many problems, mainly financial. The *Przegląd Katolicki* noted in April 1889:

“In Kharkiv… the construction of a Catholic church, which is distinguished by its splendid architecture, is progressing at a snail’s pace due to a lack of funds to complete the church. According to the calculations of Engineer Michałowski, who is overseeing the construction, there is still a shortfall of approximately 15,000 rubles. Therefore, the church is being built using funds received from donors across the Russian Empire.”

The architectural form of the church in Kharkiv

The church was a unique structure in Kharkiv at that time . The *Przegląd Katolicki* of 26 January 1893 reported:

‘A distinctive feature of the church is its vaulting. As the nave proved too wide to support a masonry vault, the idea arose to construct what is known as a pot-and-pan ceiling. Specifically, iron arches were installed, connected by iron rods, and on these were laid bricks that were hollow on the inside and thoroughly fired. This ceiling imitates a real vault quite well and harmonises quite well with the overall architectural style. Inside the church there are three altars: the high altar of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and two side altars: one dedicated to the Lord Jesus, featuring a painting by Henryk Siemiradzki, and the other to St Anthony. The church is well situated: there is a square for processions nearby, and beyond that, directly adjacent, is the vicarage, separated from the church only by a garden’.

Siemiradzki painted this picture especially for Kharkiv, which he visited for the last time in 1890.

To the right of the Altar of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which housed a statue of the Mother of God carved from blue Italian marble, stood the pulpit, beneath which was a sculpture of St Peter. On the walls, in specially constructed niches, there were paintings. Above the door was the inscription ‘DEO OMNIPOTENTI’ (‘TO GOD ALMIGHTY’). Three bells were hung in the belfry. An organ was also purchased for the church. The newly built church was consecrated on 26 July 1892 by Franciszek Albin Symon, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Mohylów . In 1901, on the initiative of the engineers Adam Krzyżanowski and Adolf Pawłowicz, electric lighting was installed in the church.

The church during the Stalinist era

Following the end of the civil war and the Bolsheviks’ final seizure of power in Ukraine (1920), the parish in Kharkiv, like many others, operated under constantly deteriorating conditions. During the anti-religious campaign, the Polish Consulate-General, which operated in Kharkiv from 1924 to 1934, sought to support the church and its congregation. Consul Stanisław Oraczewski noted:

“The Catholic clergy continue to be persecuted. Contact with the Consulate General is minimal. Diplomats attempted, in secret, to assist the Kharkiv church financially and by supplying food.”

Thanks to this, the church , in which Masses were celebrated until 1937 , became one of the last functioning churches within the then USSR. During the Great Terror, the Polish authorities were unable to rescue the priests. In the autumn of 1933, after seven years of exile and imprisonment, Father Wincenty Ilgin, parish priest of Kharkiv from 1919 to 1926, was deported to Poland. In August 1937, the last parish priest, Father Leonard Gaszyński, was arrested on charges of involvement in a counter-revolutionary organisation and, on 12 October, was executed by firing squad along with 11 parishioners. The Roman Catholic church in Kharkiv was closed, and the parish dissolved .

Between 1941 and 1943, during the German occupation of Kharkiv, the church was reopened. Services were mainly conducted by Italian chaplains. In 1947 , the city authorities handed over the church building to the regional film directorate, following which the church was thoroughly rebuilt, and the surrounding area was developed with workshops and garages.

The church in Kharkiv today

On 7 January 1991, the future parish priest , Father Yuri Ziminski, celebrated the first Mass in many years on the church steps. In December of that year, the historic church building was returned to the parish . In the early 2000s, the interior of the church was restored . Since 2002, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been the cathedral of the then-established Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia .

Today, the interior of the Kharkiv church features commemorations of historical figures and events . To the right of the porch, in a niche, stands a bust of the musician Konstanty Gorski ( 1859–1924), who for thirty years was one of the leading figures in Kharkiv’s cultural life. On the façade of the church, to the left of the entrance, there is a plaque expressing the gratitude of the Armenian people to the local community for saving children during the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. In 2021, a statue of Pope John Paul II was erected in front of the cathedral’s entrance.

Kharkiv Cathedral has also borne witness to the most recent tragic events linked to Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine. On 1 March 2022, a Russian missile struck the roof of the diocesan curia next to the cathedral. To date, however, the Catholic church remains undamaged in one of the cities hardest hit by the war.