St Andrew's Ukrainian Catholic Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Our Lady of Pochayiv and St Andrew's Ukrainian Catholic Church |
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Українська католицька церква Св. Андрія
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The Church, seen from Dalmeny Street in Leith
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| 55°57′53″N 3°10′30″W / 55.96472°N 3.17500°W | |
| Location | Leith, Edinburgh |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Previous denomination | Presbyterian |
| Tradition | Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Colston Street U.P. Church, Dalmeny Street U.P. Church, Dalmeny Street U.F. Church |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Dedication | Saint Andrew and Our Lady of Pochayiv |
Our Lady of Pochayiv and St Andrew's Ukrainian Catholic Church (Ukrainian: Українська католицька церква Св. Андрія) is a special church located on Dalmeny Street in Leith, Edinburgh. It is one of only a few Ukrainian Greek Catholic churches in Scotland. This church is part of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London, which is a type of church district for Eastern Catholics in Great Britain. The building is also a 'Category B listed building', meaning it's an important historical place.
How the Church Building Started
The land for this church was first bought in March 1879. It was for the United Presbyterian Church. They wanted to serve the many new families moving into the Leith Walk area.
A temporary church hall was built that same year. A group of church members started meeting there. In June 1881, they found their first minister, George B. Carr.
The main church building was finished and opened on October 6, 1882. It was built in a Gothic Revival style, which means it looked like old medieval churches. At that time, Dalmeny Street was called Colston Street.
Changes Over the Years
In 1900, the United Presbyterian Church joined with another church group. This meant the Dalmeny Street church became part of the United Free Church of Scotland.
Later, in 1929, most of the United Free Church joined with the Church of Scotland. The Dalmeny Street church followed this change. By 1950, the church building was no longer used by this group. Its members joined another nearby church.
The Church Becomes Ukrainian
After World War II, many Ukrainians came to England, Scotland, and Wales. They were often refugees looking for new homes. By 1950, about 1,500 Ukrainians lived in Scotland, with many in Edinburgh.
In 1965, the first Ukrainian Catholic mission opened in this building. The local Ukrainian community worked hard to help. They also gave money to change the inside of the building. They wanted to make it a beautiful Catholic church. A large icon (a special religious painting) of Saint Andrew was placed over the main altar.
In 1983, the church was updated again. This was before a big celebration in 1988. That celebration marked 1,000 years of Catholicism in Ukraine. New features were added, like a wooden bell tower. This tower was built in an Eastern Catholic style. Ornamental ironwork was also added around the church. This ironwork includes the tryzub, which is the Ukrainian national symbol. At this time, about 700 people attended the church.
