Academic church

Academic Church of St Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian The Academic Church of Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy in honour of St Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian is an architectural monument of national significance and the oldest preserved building of St Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery.

The Refectory Church was built in 1713 – 1715 in the Ukrainian Baroque style. It was a rather typical one-storey building for Orthodox monasteries, with an elongated shape and an altar and iconostasis, which was built at the expense of Kyiv Metropolitan Joasaph Krokovsky. During his lifetime, he became known as the founder of Kyiv Brotherhood College and held the position of a rector of Kyiv-Mohyla College.

As for the interior decoration of the church, unfortunately, there is no evidence of the original mural of the sanctuary. During the renovation of the refectory church in 1837, the interior of the shrine was decorated with new murals. According to the description of the church in 1845, the walls were decorated with 23 icons. A painting on the ceiling of the refectory hall depicting how the Saviour fed the people with five loaves and two fish is mentioned.

The walls were painted with oil paints: in the altar – a composition of the Resurrection of Christ with four Evangelists on each side, in the dome – God the Father surrounded by angels, under the vaults of the church – the Last Supper, on the western wall – scenes from the Gospel of John. It was also mentioned that in other places the walls were decorated with ornaments.

With the establishment of the Soviet regime, the holy church was closed, and later a canteen and a gym were built there, while the religious paintings were whitewashed. Only in 1976 – 1981, as a result of the restoration, the painting was restored, having been preserved only in the lower tier of the altar part: the depiction of the Resurrection of Christ, the portrayals of four Evangelists, and two seraphims.

Since the restoration of Ukraine’s independence and even before the rebuilding of St Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral, the church has been playing a significant role in the spiritual life of Kyiv. The Church of St John the Theologian was one of the first churches in Kyiv to perform services in Ukrainian. In the early nineties, it became the main church of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

With the opening of Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary in 1992 within the walls of the destroyed St Michael’s Monastery, the Refectory Church of St Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian became the academic church of the theological schools. Celebratory services related to the life of the academy are held here, young clergymen have their priestly and deacon’s practice, the first monastic tonsures are performed, and the religious songs are sung by the academic choir. The students of Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy undergo liturgical and sermon practice at the academic church. Services are held in the church daily.