UNESCO thanks UOC eparchy for restoration of cathedral in Odesa

UNESCO delegation at the UOC Cathedral in Odesa. Photo: Odesa Eparchy

On February 14, 2025, a UNESCO delegation visited the Transfiguration Cathedral of the UOC in Odesa, reports the press service of the Odesa Eparchy.

Berta de Sancristobal, Head of the Europe and North America Unit at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, along with other organization representatives, was welcomed by Archpriest Myroslav Vdovovych, an assistant to the cathedral’s rector.

The Odesa Diocese noted that the purpose of the joint mission of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS is to assess the overall condition of the World Heritage site, as well as to evaluate the implementation of the recommendations provided by the World Heritage Committee when the historic center of Odesa was included in the World Heritage List.

During the meeting, issues of particular concern to the Odesa Diocese in its work with UNESCO were discussed.

The diocese reported that Ms. Berta de Sancristobal thanked Metropolitan Agafangel of Odesa and Izmail and the UOC Diocese “for the tremendous work in restoring the cathedral and preserving culture and spirituality in Odesa.”

As UOJ previously reported, the UOC cathedral’s facade in Odesa, damaged by shelling, has been fully restored.

It should be recalled that the Transfiguration Cathedral was severely damaged by a missile strike in July 2023. Immediately after the shelling, work began on clearing the rubble, reinforcing the walls, and installing a temporary roof to prevent further damage.

In October 2023, Ukraine signed an agreement with Italy and UNESCO for funding the cathedral’s reconstruction, under which the Italian government allocated €500,000 for priority repair work.

Restoration efforts are currently ongoing, with particular attention being paid to the cathedral’s interior spaces.

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