Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Chicago was founded in 1969 out of a desire to preserve and faithfully adhere to the traditions of the Ukrainian Church over generations to come. Employing the Byzantine-Ukrainian style of 11-13th century Ukraine, the church is cruciform with the altar facing east. The design avoids right angles as much as possible, favoring rounded arches and vaults and a striking gold dome.Above the entrance, a mosaic depicts the Christianization of Ukraine, and a statue of Patriarch Josyf Cardinal Slipyj (1892-1984), the parish’s founder, stands nearby. Patriarch Slipyj was held prisoner in the Soviet Union’s Siberian labor camps for 18 years, only released in 1963 through the intervention of Pope John XXIII and President Kennedy. He worked to restore self-government to the Ukrainian Catholic Church.
A brief 10-minute presentation about the architecture and iconography of the sacred space will be available
Visitor Experience
The main level and balcony/choir loft of the church building will be open for self-guided tours. Visitors are asked not to enter the altar area. There will be 10-minute talks describing the architecture and iconography given every 20 minutes or so.
