A statue of St. Michael the Archangel stands in the center of Kyiv, depicted with a shield and a sword, as the protector of the capital of Ukraine and the entire country, which is now threatened by the invasion of Russia.

Placed in 2002, the statue, constructed of bronze and gold, stands above the Lach Gates in Independence Square in Kyiv. 

St. Michael the Archangel is the patron saint of Kyiv and is also at the center of the coat of arms of the Ukrainian capital.

The history of this devotion is reported by Catholic News Agency’s sister agency, ACI Prensa. 

In the 16th century, St. Michael the Archangel appeared on the coat of arms of Kyiv. But in 1969, during the regime of the Soviet Union, the authorities replaced his figure with chestnut leaves. This remained the case until after the fall of the USSR, when the archangel was returned to the coat of arms, in 1995.

The Golden Monastery of St. Michael the Archangel is a famous spot, standing majestically on the top of a hill to the right of the Dnieper River. Previously destroyed in the ’30s by the Soviet authorities, it was then rebuilt in 1991 on the occasion of Ukraine’s independence.

It is no coincidence that the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel in Monte Sant’Angelo in Italy and the Monastery of St. Michael the Archangel in Kyiv are linked in prayer with the request to intercede for the people of Kyiv and all the nations of the world.

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk spoke about the angelic protector in a video message recorded on March 4.

“Here in Kyiv we perceive that the patron of our city is the Archangel Michael, who, with the cry, ‘Who is like God?’ cast into the abyss Lucifer — the one who rose up against God’s truth and was the leader of the diabolical armies,” he said.

“We perceive today that the Archangel Michael, together with the whole Heavenly Host, is fighting for Ukraine.”