Odessa hierarch consecrates a temple built by Georgian Diaspora

Temple in honor of the Faithful Saint Tsarina Tamara in Odessa. Photo: Odessa Eparchy

On May 31, 2020, Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail performed the Great Consecration rite of the temple in honor of the Faithful Holy Tsarina Tamara of Georgia in Odessa, built by representatives of the Georgian Diaspora, the press service of the Odessa Eparchy of the UOC reports.

After the rite of consecration, the ruling bishop, accompanied by Archbishop Diodorus of Yuzhnentsi, vicar of the Odessa Diocese, Archpriest Dimitri Yakovenko, rector of the Odessa Theological Seminary, together with the diocesan clergy performed the Divine Liturgy in the church.

During the service, prayers were offered for the health of the Primates of the Georgian and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches – Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia, who had blessed the construction of the church in honor of Tsarina Tamara, and His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine.

The service, which was broadcast live on the media resources of the Odessa Eparchy, was attended by the Consul General of Georgia in Odessa Tornike Berekashvili.

In his archpastoral word, Metropolitan Agafangel emphasized the importance of consecrating the church for the Georgian Diaspora, which became an adornment of Odessa, noting that this event is a historic milestone in the promotion of fraternal relations between the peoples of Georgia and Ukraine.

As reported by the UOJ, earlier new churches of the UOC were consecrated in the Rovenki and Chernihiv Eparchies.

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