Tserkva Sv Illya Uhkts

The church (formerly a church) was built in 1871 by German Mennonite Protestants. In 1934, during the Soviet era, the church was closed by atheist authorities for grain storage, and then a village club was established here. In the years after the Second World War, the temple was extremely neglected, was partially destroyed, overgrown with bushes and trees. In 2011, the restoration of the church by Greek Catholics began. This was achieved by the Greek Catholic priest Peter Krinitsky from Melitopol, asking permission from the Mennonites for these actions. Protestants gave the dilapidated building to the faithful of the UGCC and even joined in its restoration, as they rejoiced in the restoration of God's temple, even in another denomination. Now it is the largest Greek Catholic church in eastern Ukraine. The Greek Catholic community was registered here on August 3, 2011. Since 2012, every year in early August, there is a pilgrimage to the icon of the Mother of God of the Snow. The pilgrimage takes place with the blessing of the Bishop of the Donetsk Exarchate, Bishop Stepan (Menko) and on the initiative of Father Peter Krenitsky - the pastor of the parish of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in Melitopol. The anthem of this pilgrimage: In the south of Ukraine in the middle of the steppe There are amazing stairs to the sky. This church in Snihurivka was reborn And the spirit of prayer in the people was restored. Stop, pray, lift up your hearts to God. We are pilgrims on earth, so we bring love to people. A 600-kilogram bell was installed near the temple

Very nice