With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill Metropolitan Varsonofy visited the Center for Rehabilitation of Handicapped Children in Odessa

On July 22 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchy Metropolitan Varsonofy of Saransk and Mordovia, accompanying His Holiness in his tour of Ukraine, called to the Rehabilitation Center for Handicapped Children in Odessa, established by the Odessa Charity Foundation “The Future”.

His Eminence Varsonofy was accompanied by Secretary of the Odessa diocesan administration archpriest Andrey Novikov, rector of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, assistant to Metropolitan Agathangel of Odessa and Izmail archpriest Victor Petliuchenko, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in Ukraine M.Zurabov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Odessa A.Hrachev, representatives of the local authorities and mass-media.

At the rehabilitation center Metropolitan Varsonofy was met by chairman of the Charitable foundation “The Future” B.Lytvak and N.Vahotska, director of the recreation center, where the patients undergoing treatment and their parents stay.

The guests called to the wards, fitness facility, swimming pool, treatment and diagnostic offices. Metropolitan Varsonofy also looked over the exposition, in which the paintings and graphic works by the children undergoing treatment in the center are presented. Young painters offered their works to His Eminence as a present.

On the instructions of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill Metropolitan Varsonofy of Saransk and Mordovia donated to the center special medical treatment costumes for children, saying: “Accept them as a gift from the Russian Orthodox Church with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill”.

B.Lytvak asked to report the words of the most sincere gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirikk, and passed him memorial present – embroidered bookmarks for liturgical books, worked by a center’s employee. He also offered to His Eminencne Varsonofy the painting of St Panteleimon Cathedral of Odessa and a picture with Golden Angel – the statue installed at Rehabilitation Center to Ambassador of Russia M.Zurabov.

In the book of honored guests His Eminence Varsonofy wrote:

“With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill I visited this remarkable children treatment center. On the list of numerous diseases and sorrows this one required the most cordial attention of the grown-ups. A duty of every adult is to render assistance to these kids. The Russian Orthodox Church does not merely prays for granting God’s help to all suffering, but also provides possible assistance through its monasteries to these people. On this day we donate 20 treatment costumes for children so that they could recover quicker and enjoy their life. May God’s assistance accompany the administration of this center and all its workers”.

In the yard of the recreation house the Archpastor called to the chapel dedicated in honor of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon, and blessed the patients, co-workers and the guests of the center.

DECR communication service/Press-service of His Holiness the Patriarch