Odesa Christians Mark Gregorian Christmas Together

On 25 December 2002, Bishop Bronislaw Bernadsky, ordinary of the Odesa and Simferopol diocese of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), celebrated a Christmas Mass in the Cathedral of the Assumption in southern Ukrainian Odesa. Bishop Paisii, head of the Odesa and Baltiya eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic clergy from Odesa and the town of Pivdennyi and pastors of different Christian organizations and mission attended the Mass to greet their Catholic brothers.
“First of all, I would like to greet all Catholics on Christmas and wish them good health,” said Bishop Bernadsky. “May the word of God always bring justice, unity, peace and love among people!” On 24 December 2002, priests of the RCC and UOC-KP held an ecumenical prayer service for sailors and other maritime employees in St. Michael’s Chapel in Odesa.