Sretensky Church of UOC in Odesa suffers from Russian shelling

A damaged dome of the Sretensky Church in Odesa. Photo: a screenshot of the YouTube channel "Joyful Dyak"

On December 29, 2023, the Sretensky Church of the UOC suffered damage as a result of the Russian shelling of Odesa. A video of the destruction was posted on his YouTube channel by Archdeacon Andriy Palchuk of the Odesa Eparchy.

Windows were shattered, and the church dome was pierced by shrapnel. The rector-chaplain Archpriest Ilya Manita, who was seriously wounded on the front line while delivering aid to the Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers in the summer, returned to his church on crutches.

"Near him a cluster bomb exploded, shattering the bone. Now his temple is broken," said Fr Andriy.

He added he did not quite understand the motives of the Russian leadership, which positions the people of Russia and Ukraine as one nation. "Do they think by doing this, they will win the favour of Odesa residents or other citizens of Ukraine? I don't understand this logic," said the cleric of the Odessa Eparchy.

As earlier reported, St. Catherine’s Cathedral of the UOC again suffered from shelling in Kherson.

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