Before a note is song of their Eurovision entry, Ukraine has already won cultural accolades in Greater Manchester today. Two Ukrainian Catholic Churches in Salford and Oldham have been granted Grade II listed status.
The first recorded Ukrainians arrived in the late 19th and early 20th century when several hundred people from western Ukraine settled in Manchester. Following the Second World War, around 35,000 Ukrainians came to the UK as part of the European Volunteer Workers scheme. This was set up to address labour shortages by providing jobs in industry and agriculture to ‘displaced’ people.
Many found work in the cotton mills of Manchester and woollen industry in West Yorkshire. More Ukrainians migrated to England following the collapse of the Soviet Union and, most recently, to escape the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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This year's Eurovision Song Contest is being staged in Liverpool despite Ukraine winning last year, due to the ongoing war in the country. Arts and Heritage MInister, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, said: “With excitement growing for this weekend's Eurovision Song Contest, we want to recognise and celebrate how the people of Ukraine have helped shape our nation over many generations.
"Sites across the north of England are important for Ukrainians at home and in the UK. Granting them listed status means they can be cherished and protected for years to come. I hope this will encourage even more people to visit them and learn more about the shared history between our two great nations."
Duncan Wilson, Chief Executve of Historic England, said: “It feels right to celebrate Ukrainian heritage in the north of England as the nation gets ready to host Eurovision, on behalf of Ukraine. We are turning the spotlight on special places which help tell the story of Ukrainian life and traditions. Culture and customs are vital to national identity.
"These places were established as safe spaces, over decades, by people who wanted to keep Ukraine in their hearts and their heritage alive. They show the resilience and resourcefulness of Ukrainian communities and their dedication to protecting their language, beliefs, and way of life.”
Rev Dr Taras Khomych, a Ukrainian Catholic Priest, Senior Lecturer in Theology at Liverpool Hope University and Chair of the Liverpool branch of the Association of Ukrainians of Great Britain, said: “Highlighting the stories of Ukrainian communities in the north of England is a wonderful way of supporting our heritage at a time when, once again, it is under threat in Ukraine. This is welcome recognition of the role that culture and traditions play in safe-guarding our way of life.”
Many Ukrainian places also have poignant memorials which pay tribute to the lives of the seven million people who died in the terrible man-made famine – known as the Holodomor – which took place in Ukraine from 1932 – 1933.
The Salford church to be given listed status is the Church of Dormiton of the Holy Mary Mother of God, at the junction of Bury Old Road, Middleton Road, and Cheetham Hill Road. It was the first church owned by Ukrainian Catholics in Great Britain and was designated as the 'mother church' of Sobor when it was consecrated in 1954.
The Victorian Gothic-style building opened in the late 19th century as the Sunday school for the nearby Congregational Church. It was bought by the Ukrainian community in 1954 to create their first permanent home in the north and converted by adding traditional features including an iconostasis – a brightly coloured, highly ornate screen of icons.
It was consecrated by Archbishop Ivan Bucczko on 29 August 1954 and became a thriving hub of the community, hosting activities including a Saturday school, Homin (male voice choir) and Plast (scouts).
At the front of the church, a black granite plaque marks the tragic moment in Ukraine’s history known as the Holodomor. The inscription, in Ukrainian and English, reads: "in memory of seven million victims of Moscow made famine in Ukraine 1932-33."
In Oldham, the Church of St Peter and St Paul and All Saints on Chadderton Way, Northmoor, has been listed. It opened in 1889 as an Anglican church, and was adopted by the Ukrainian Catholic Church in 1987.
The building is a blend of English and Ukrainian religious traditions. Outside, it looks like a traditional Anglican Church, with a soaring-gothic design, beautifully detailed architecture and stained-glass windows. One of these depicts the Ascension of Christ into heaven, with the Oldham skyline as the background.
Important features have been added to adapt the church for its new congregation. These include an elaborate baldacchino – a metal canopy over the altar – and iconostasis, a highly ornate screen of icons.
Another church in Manchester – which is already listed - will have its story updated on the National Heritage List for England to reflect the significance of its Ukrainian history.
The Roman Catholic Church of St Chad, on Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, is to have details of its history amended to include its Ukrainian links. It was the first church in the North West to host the Ukrainian Catholic congretation, who worshipped there from 1921-54.
Manchester has been home to people from Ukraine since the late 19th Century. Before the First World War, there was a community of around 500, centred on Cheetham Hill.
From the 1920s to the mid-1950s, they were invited to hold Mass at St. Chad’s. St Chads - now known as the Manchester Oratory – was built in 1846. It has a rich history of serving diverse communities and congregations.
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