Novinsky promises to donate at least $1m to Odesa cathedral

Former MP and protodeacon of the UOC Vadim Novinsky said on his Facebook page that he is ready to donate at least $ 1 million for the restoration of the destroyed cathedral in Odesa.

"I sincerely grieve together with Odesa residents and want to assure you that despite the sanctions imposed against me and blocked accounts, I will find a way to contribute to the restoration of the destroyed Transfiguration Cathedral, donating at least one million dollars for this purpose. In the days of war and persecution of the Church, it is very important to be able to preserve and revive the shrines of Orthodoxy, demonstrating faith, unity and mutual support. After all, the true Orthodox Church is based on these principles," Protodeacon Vadim Novinsky wrote.

The protodeacon noted that the destruction of the cathedral in Odessa was "one of the most dramatic pages of the current bloody war".

"One of the most beautiful Ukrainian Temples, a majestic monument to Orthodoxy in the southern lands of Ukraine, the cathedral was a real centre of spiritual life in Odesa. In 1936, the Bolsheviks had already destroyed this temple, erected by the founders of Odesa in the late 18th century. In the early 2000s, the cathedral was restored in its original form, with tens of thousands of ordinary people participating in the restoration of the temple with their donations," he added.

As previously reported, Italy declared its readiness to join the restoration of the Odesa cathedral.