A Roman Catholic Church was built in Odessa soon after the city had been founded. It was a small prayer house. But in 1805 duke de Richelieu provided an entire block in Yekaterininskaya Street (a plot of 3.29 acres). The first small temple was built there by architect F.Frapolli in 1822. Soon a shelter and an orphanage were established there as well as a catholic school. In 1848 with the support of count M.Vorontsov, the governor of New Russia, the construction of the Blessed Virgin Assumption Cathedral started. It was consecrated in 1853.
Like most other Odessa temples, the cathedral was closed down in 1935. The building was handed over to the German Bulgarian Club, later to the local history museum. The divine service was held temporarily during the Second World War, but in 1949 the cathedral was closed down once again. Marble altars were destroyed, the shape of the lancet arches was changed, marvelous stone vaulting was removed as well as the marble floor. The disfigured building was first used as an exhibition, later as a sports complex.
In 1991 the government returned the key to the temple, and after many years the divine service has been served in the cathedral ever sine. A Sunday school works. Gradually the outlook and grandeur of the church come back, but it is going to take years to complete
In August 2008 the facade of the church was decorated with the statues of Pope John Paul the 2nd and St. Martin.
The grave of General A.Langeron is there.
Downtown.
33/1 Yekaterininskaya Street, 65045 Odessa, Ukraine.
E30°44'20.8" N46-28'49.8" (E30.739111° N46.4805°).
2013.04.01.
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