S.A.K.A

Originally The Georgievsky Church (dedicated to St. George) it was also became known as The Uspensky Church (Church of the Assumption). In addition to its primary purpose the church served as a haven of safety for the townspeople during enemy attacks. A wooden structure was built in 1144 in the reign of Prince Vsevolod Olgovych. In 1678 Crimean Tatars and Turks burned and looted Kaniv, destroying the church. Archimandrite Makarius (later St. Makarius of Kaniv) was mercilessly tortured to death for refusing to hand over the church treasures, declaring “My gold is in Heaven, not on Earth”. The church was not restored until the years 1781-1787 and was then reconstructed during the years 1805 – 1810 in its modern style. In 1844 its status was changed to that of a cathedral. It was here that the coffin of Taras Shevchenko was placed, before his reburial on Chernecha Hora.