Destruction of the 12th-Century St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral by the Soviet Authorities and the Theft of its Mosaics

Why Do They Steal?

This is the third episode of the narrative documentary podcast 'Why Do They Steal?,' delving into the history of the ancient 12th-century mosaics – underestimated masterpieces created by Kyiv masters.

We will recount the tragic fate of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral, once gleaming with its domes in downtown Kyiv until its destruction by the Soviet Union.

Next, we'll explore an exhibition dedicated to the 12th-century heroic poem, written in Kyiv, and how it played a role in the disappearance of the ancient mosaics from St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral. Finally, we will delve into how totalitarianism led to the destruction of the same Cathedral, a unique architectural piece of the 12th century.

The material was prepared with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The material reflects the position of the authors and does not necessarily coincide with the position of the International Renaissance Foundation.

Production: 435 FILMS

Showrunners: Kornii Hrytsyuk and Anna Palenchuk

Scriptwriters: Kornii Hrytsyuk and Yurii Marchenko

Producer and Narrator: Anna Palenchuk

Sound Supervisor: Vasyl Yavtushenko

Assistant: Iryna Terletska

Project Coordinator: Olena Kirichek

English Translation: Anastasiia Perun

English Voice-Over: Alina Zevakova, Rob Feldman, Kateryna Hordiienko

English Voice-Over Recording: Pavlo Melnyk, Alla Shmatok

Editors: Oleksandr Vitraniuk, Vadym Stepanov

Podcast Cover Designer: Anton Vasyliev

Ukrainska Pravda:

Head of Podcasts: Fedir Popadiuk

YouTube Manager: Dmytro Moskvych