Roman Catholics launch petition for return of historic building in Odesa

Bishop Stanislav Shyrokoradiuk of the Roman Catholic Church. Photo: Official website of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine

On April 2, 2026, Bishop Stanislav Shyrokoradiuk of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Odesa-Simferopol called on the faithful to sign a petition seeking the transfer of a historic seminary building in Odesa to the Catholic community, according to the official website of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine.

According to the bishop, the appeal concerns the building at 23 Niny Strokatoi Street, which formerly belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. He said there is now a real danger of losing the premises altogether, including the possibility of a “raider seizure.”

The diocese recalled that in 2017 the Catholic community was granted only partial use of the property – about 300 square meters out of nearly 3,000 square meters of total space. The premises were used for humanitarian needs, and after 2020 they were renovated and adapted for educational and spiritual work, including Sunday school, catechesis, and other initiatives.

However, the Church says that after the renovation was completed, representatives of the authorities demanded that the building be vacated. The Roman Catholic Church argues that returning the historic property would restore justice and make it possible to expand social and charitable projects.

The building was constructed in 1849 with funds from the Roman Catholic Church and remained in its ownership until 1917. After the Bolsheviks came to power, it was nationalized and, over the years, used for purposes unrelated to its original mission. The property complex is now owned by the state.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Yahilnytsia, an old Catholic church had been granted to Catholics for free use.

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