Patriarch Sviatoslav Hopes Authorities Of Odesa Will Allocate Land Plot for UGCC Church

“In Odesa alone, according to statistics, there are approximately 10 thousand Greek Catholics. If their presence is so considerable in the city, in my opinion, they need a Church building for joint prayers,” said the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) on 9 December, 2011 at a press-conference in the city of Odesa during his pastoral visit to Odesa-Crimea Exarchate of UGCC. So reported the Information Department of UGCC.

The hierarch noted that another, Greek Catholic Church would enrich both the city and UGCC. “The allocation of a land plot for the construction of a church to Greek Catholics will show that the decree of the President of Ukraine regarding the equal treatment by the authorities of all the denominations is fulfilled even in Odesa,” stressed Patriarch Sviatoslav.

On 8 December, the patriarch met with representatives of the Odesa Regional State Administration and City Council. “In our conversation, we raised the question of the allocation of a land plot for the construction of a Greek Catholic Church in the city, and I hope that it will be settled. I believe that my view of Odesa as an open and tolerant city will be retained by the allocation of the land plot to the faithful of UGCC,” said the head of UGCC.