On November 22, Bishop Mykhailo Bubniy, Exarch of Odessa, consecrated the altar with the laying of antimension and officially founded another parish, opening a newly built wooden Greek Catholic Сhurch in honor of St. Michael the Archangel in Odessa.
This was reported by the press service of the Odessa Exarchate of the UGCC.
The new church is located on the adjacent territory of the Southern Territorial Department of the Military Law Enforcement Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is designed for the spiritual needs of servicemen and their families, as well as for all the faithful who live in this neighborhood of Odesa.
The festivities began with the cutting of the ribbon by the ruling exarch of Odessa, Bishop Mykhailo Bubniy, the head of the Southern Territorial Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel Serhiy Petrovych Trachuk, and local authorities.
Bishop Michael performed the rite of consecration of the throne with the laying of antimension, after which the Episcopal Divine Liturgy began. Priests from other parishes of Odessa, Yuzhny and Ivanivka, nuns and many faithful and guests also attended the holiday.
"Today, the city of Odessa is not only adorned with another golden-domed church, but also receives this spiritual building, the cornerstone of which is Christ Himself - the source of life and resurrection, the source of hope and all healing. This spiritual well at the military unit of the Southern Territorial Department of the Military Law Enforcement Service, the idea of which Colonel Serhiy Petrovych cherished in his heart for a long time, was dug, and today the life-giving water distributed by Christ himself flowed from it. Our servicemen are the closest here, so they will be able to touch the Divine Savior at any time and receive from Him the living water and life-giving power of God's grace, which will drive away all fear and despair in the fight against various enemies in today's difficult times for Ukraine," said the hierarch.
He read the decree on the establishment of the parish of St. Michael the Archangel and the decree on the appointment of Fr. Dr. Mykola Slobodyan.
Certificates of gratitude were also presented to the donors, in particular to Colonel Serhiy Petrovych Trachuk for assistance and special support in the construction of this church. Thereafter, the parish rector Fr Mykola thanked all those who contributed to the construction of the temple, financially, with their prayers, advice or work.
The site was dedicated to the construction of this church, and the capsule was laid on June 12, 2017, by the ruling exarch of Odessa, His Eminence Mikhaylo Bubniy.
The sacred building was built in the Hutsul style using spruce. The temple is 21 meters long, 8 meters wide and 14 meters high to the cross. The construction was run by Fr. Dr. Mykola Slobodyan, court vicar and housekeeper of the Odessa exarchate. This is the first Greek Catholic church built in the city of Odessa as a sacred building with three domes.
In other parishes, the faithful Greek Catholics of Odessa pray so far on the premises of chapels adapted for worship:
- in the parish of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is located at 37 Dobrovolskoho avenue, which was consecrated on May 21, 2017
- in the Cathedral of St. Andrew the Apostle, located at 22 Himnasychna street, which this year will celebrate its 15th anniversary of the consecration;
- from time to time since 2002, services have been held in the chapel of St. Michael the Archangel at the "Sea Apostolate" at 2 Lanzheronovska Street.