St Matthew the Apostle Parish (Yemilchyne)

Yemilchyne, also known as Mezhyrichka and Milchyn, was first mentioned in 1585. It became a district centre in 1923 and an urban-type settlement in 1957.

A masonry church was built here in 1909 with funds provided by the parishioners.

From 1934 to 1945 and again from 1961 to 1989, the church was confiscated from the faithful and used as a warehouse. A priest visited the parish four times in 1957 and three times in 1958. In 1959, no priest officially visited. On 2 March 1961, the agreement allowing the faithful to use the church was terminated. On 25 March 1961, the Zhytomyr Regional Executive Committee decided to deregister the parish in Yemilchyne and use the church as a cinema. Because of its distance from the centre, however, the local authorities made it a warehouse instead.

On 20 September 2009, the church’s centenary was celebrated with Bishop Stanislav Shyrokoradiuk in attendance.