A massive Russian drone attack hit the historic Holy Wisdom Cathedral, also known as St. Sophia, in Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv on Tuesday. The five-hour assault, which saw Russia fire over 315 drones, was one of the largest strikes on the city during the three-year war.
The cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Mother Church of all Christians who trace their roots to ancient Rus, suffered significant damage, including a blast that damaged the cornice on the main apse. The attack also injured up to 13 people, with as many as seven fatalities reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as “one of the biggest” strikes on Ukraine’s capital in the war. Ukrainian Culture Minister Mykola Tochytskyi condemned the attack, noting that the cathedral is a sacred place that has withstood invasions and persecution for over 1,000 years.
The Holy Wisdom Cathedral holds unique spiritual significance for Ukraine and is home to some of the country’s most important cultural artifacts. The cathedral’s collection of mosaics and frescoes from the 11th century is particularly notable.
Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia called on the international community to pray for a just, lasting peace that guarantees the safety of innocent people and protects their churches and way of life.
The attack is part of a larger pattern of violence in Ukraine, with over 4,000 schools, nearly 1,600 medical facilities, and 236,000 residential buildings damaged or destroyed since the war began in February 2022. The Ukrainian Council of Churches has condemned the attack, appealing to the world to take action to stop what it describes as “barbarism” perpetrated by Russia.
UNESCO had previously listed the cathedral on a list of endangered World Heritage sites due to the threat of Russian aggression.
Source: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2025-06/ukraine-holy-wisdom-cathedral-bombed-russian-drones.html