Odessa, Odessa Province, Ukraine, October 2, 2023
Photo: news.church.ua
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, the primate of Orthodox believers in Ukraine, visited the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Odessa during an archpastoral visit to the city on Saturday.
As the UOC reported at the time, the cathedral was badly damaged during a Russian missile attack on the seaport infrastructure in the city on the Black Sea in late July. The central altar and cathedral office space were completely destroyed, though a wonderworking copy of the Kasperov Icon of the Mother of God, which is housed in the cathedral, was safely pulled from the rubble.
Photo: news.church.ua
His Beatitude travelled to Odessa on Thursday and Friday for the feast of St. Kuksha of Odessa, whose relics are housed at the Holy Dormition Monastery.
Watch a video from the All-Night Vigil:
And from the Divine Liturgy:
Following the Liturgy on Friday morning, Met. Onuphry visited the damaged Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, reports the UOC’s Information-Education Department.
Before the surviving copy of the Kasperov Icon, His Beatitude served a litiya for all fallen soldiers and civilians of Ukraine, and for peace in Ukraine, for the army, the government, and all the Ukrainian people.
Photo: news.church.ua
The Metropolitan expressed his regret about the extensive damage and his wish that the cathedral will be restored as soon as possible, and that peace could reign in Ukraine and around the world.
Watch a video from his visit to the cathedral:
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