On July 20 the program of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s visit to the Diocese of Odessa was concluded by the visit to the Holy Dormition (men’s) Monastery.
At the holy gates of the monastery His holiness was greeted by deputy abbot of the monastery, His Gace Alexiy, Bishop of Belhorod-Dnistrovskyy with brethren, abbots and abbesses of the diocesan monasteries, students of the Odessa Theological Seminary.
Together with His Holiness the Patriarch, His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine and Metropolitan Agathangel of Odessa and Izmail, other hierarchs and member so f the official delegation accompanying His Holiness on his visit tot Ukraine came to the abode.
In the cathedral dedicated to the Icon of the Theotokos “Life-Giving Spring” His holiness Patriarch Kirill was greeted by the monastery superior His Grace Alexiy, Bishop of Belhorod-Dnistriovskyy. On behalf of the monastery brethren and parishioners he offered to His Holiness an omophorion, an orarion and maniples as gifts.
Then His Holiness the Patriarch Зaddressed the archpastors, pastors, monastics and laymen.
As a keepsake of the visit to the monastery His Holiness passed to the monastery church an icon of the Theotokos with memorial inscription, and everyone present at the church got a small icon of the Mother of God “Kasperovskaya” with patriarchal blessing. “Keep this small icon and remember the patriarch in your prayers, who needs these prayers much. May the blessing of God rest with all of you”, said His Holiness in conclusion.
A REFERENCE. In 1814 Metropolitan Gabriel (Banulesco-Bodini) of Kyiv and Halych, Exarch of Moldova and Wallachia founded on the donated land plot in Odessa the bishops’ metochion of the Chisinau Diocese. In 10 years it was transformed into the Holy Dormition men’s) Monastery.
In 1825 the stone cathedral of the Holy Dormition was constructed in the monastery. In 1834 the church with a bell-tower dedicated to the Icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring” which later was re-consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Theotokos, since the previous cathedral was destroyed after 1936. After 1834 the brethren built the third church in honor of the Holy Hierarch Nicholas; approximately in 1920 at the eastern side a brethren’s block was attached to St. Nicholas Church, which still remains under the same roof with the church. In 1988 the dome was set and the bell tower constructed.
In 1922 in the course of the campaign on forfeiture of the church values the monastery property was confiscated. Soon the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos was blown up.
The monastery revival began in 1944. In 1946 is visited by His Holiness Patriarch Alexiy I. Since that time at the Dormition Monastery the summer residence of the patriarch was arranged, and he started to come there every year for a few months. The Patriarchs of Antioch, Alexandria and other guests also used to come often there, too.
In 1961 the Odessa Theological Seminary was arranged on the premises of the former monastery hotel, and in 1965 the residence of the ruling bishop of the Diocese of Odessa, monastery archimandrite was transferred to the Dormition Monastery.
In 1967 in the chambers of the summer patriarchal residence the cross church dedicated to Sts Sergius and Nikon of Radonezh was established.
Behind the Church of the Holy Dormition of the Theotokos, on the left of the monastery cemetery the cathedral in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring was constructed, designed for 3000 worshippers.
On December 24 , 1964 in the Monastery of Odessa schema-hegumen Kuksha (Velychko) passed away to the Lord. On September 29, 1994 his relics were invented. The Holy Synod of the UOC glorified schema-hegumen Kuksha among the ranks of the locally venerated saints on October 4, the same year. His relics rest in the lower church of the cathedral.
Among the shrines of the abode – a piece of the robe of the Lord, a piece of the chiton of the Most Holy Theotokos, a foot of St Andrew the First Called, a reliquary with pieces of the relics of the Holy Apostle Luke, the Holy First-Martyr and archdeacon Stephan, the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon, Holy Righteous Anna, the Mother of the Theotokos, and of many other saints, as well as the locally venerated icon of the Mother of god called “The Milk-Giver”.
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