Further development of cooperation between the Greek Catholic community of Odesa and municipal authorities, including the allocation of land for the construction of a UGCC cathedral in the city, was discussed at the July 12 meeting between Odesa Mayor Alex Kostuseva and Exarch of Odesa-Crimea Vasil Ivasiuk and rector of St. Andrew’s Church Father Ruslan Ostafiy.
According to the press service of the Odesa-Crimea Exarchate of the UGCC, representatives of this church are not concealing their satisfaction with the start of the dialogue with the new mayor of Odesa. “The discussion with the city head was very specific, very promising,” says Bishop Ivasiuk. “If we continue to work this way, a lot can be accomplished.”
The first Greek Catholic community was registered in Odesa in 1917, and its founder was Father Illia Klyvak. Upon returning from Siberian exile, he settled in Odesa, rallied many Greek Catholics and acquired land for the construction of a church. However, once the Soviets arrived in the city, development of the local parish was stopped for many years.