On October 20, 2023, during his Archpastoral visit to Odesa, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine performed the rite of consecration of the cross on the dome of the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ. This is reported by the official website of the OCU.
Metropolitan Symeon of Vinnytsia and Bar, Archbishop Simeon of Dnipro and Sicheslav, Archbishop Athanasius of Odesa and Balta, Secretary of the Odesa Diocese Archpriest Theodore Orobets, and clergy of the diocese, defenders of the Motherland and believers prayed together with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
After the service, His Beatitude congratulated the faithful on the significant event.
Today we have relative peace here in Odesa. We can gather, we can pray together, we can renovate our churches. But we must not forget that the war continues. And now there are battles going on in the southeast, our best sons and daughters are dying. They are giving up the most precious thing - their lives - for the sake of each of us, for the sake of the future of our united Ukrainian state, the united Ukrainian Church, for the sake of our Ukrainian people. And we remember this and do our best, each of us in our place.
It may seem at first glance that each of us individually does little. But when we gather as a large community, we see that each of our contributions together is a great driving force that can overcome the obstacles that come our way and the way of our Ukrainian people. Therefore, we will continue to be responsible, wise and vigilant in this difficult time of war for our freedom and independence",
- said the Primate.
His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius also expressed his gratitude to the diocesan administrator and awarded military personnel, philanthropists and believers with church awards.
According to the press service of the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC (OCU)
Press service of the Diocese of Vinnytsia and Bar of the UOC (OCU)
