In Kirovohrad foundation stone of church was blessed

On November 22, 2009, Bishop Vasyl (Ivasyuk), the exarch of Odesa and Crimea, blessed in Kirovohrad the foundation stone of the building of the Nativity of John the Baptist Church. Faithful met the bishop according to the Ukrainian custom with bread and salt, and the pastor of the newly built chapel Fr. Ivan Tretyak invited the bishop to celebrate a Divine Liturgy. Receiving a cross from the pastor and keys from the church, the bishop blessed all those present and the whole city with the blessed loaf of bead, which was given by Kirovohrad’s earth. Present at the Divine Liturgy were Fr. Ivan Prots' (Znamyanka), Fr. Victor Priydun (village Chervonovershka), and Fr. Joseph, the pastor of the Roman Catholic Church in Kirovohrad. Fr. Victor Pryidun said the sermon after the Gospel, and on the completion of the liturgy the bishop wished many happy years to all, blessed the people for further work for the good of the church and faithful, and handed certificates to the donors who from the beginning were involved in a special way. Afterward, the people gathered in the yard of the chapel, where the pit for the building of the first church of the UGCC in Kirovohrad was dug up, and blessed the foundation stone. A capsule with the names of donors and the representatives of authority was placed into the foundation. The bishop expressed that the Lord grants the privilege to build a church of God not to every generation and not to every person. “It is worthy to recognize the pastoral work of Fr. Ivan Tretyak not only in Kirovohrad but also on the area of the region,” added the exarch of Odesa and Crimea.  Greek Catholic believers have lived in Kirovohrad since the city was founded in 1754. The beginning of building of a church in 2009 provoked happiness in the hearts of the people, because they waited for this great day for many decades. “It is possible to say with the words of the Gospel: ‘It happened!’” commented Bishop Vasyl. “For all this we are grateful to God for His large grace and mercy to the people. At the same time we ask all people of good will to pray for the successful building of the church, because we know very well that when the Lord does not build a house, builders work in vain.” The parish of the UGCC was founded in Kirovohrad in 2006. For this time, due to the efforts of faithful and especially Mr. Illya Krokhmal’, the parish received a land plot. On this land was built a small wooden chapel as a place all interested people can gather to meet with God.

Information Department of Odessa-Crimean exarchate
Of the Ukrainian Catholic Church