Popasna Ukraine
Ukrainian Orthodox
The church, built from 1907 - 1909, was closed by the Soviets in 1936. Two domes were removed, the bells broken, and church items and books burned. The building was used as a grain warehouse and stable. Nazi authorities allowed services to resume until Soviets again closed it in 1961. Then it was a club, and later a House of Pioneers, for children with a stage where the altar had been. Restoration began at the end of 1989 with the bell tower returned in 2003. The church was shelled by pro-Russian militants March 10, 2015. Windows broken, roof destroyed, exterior damaged, and altars and icons trashed. Damaged again in the Russian invasion of 2022, with the southern facade damaged and windows broken. The town is now nearly destroyed and deserted.