Russian Missile Strikes Holy Transfiguration Cathedral
In the early hours of the July 23, a Russian missile struck the central altar of the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa, reducing a large part of it to rubble. The building and the three lower floors were partially destroyed, while the interior and icons were significantly damaged. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church called for an immediate, final break of ties with the Russian Orthodox Church.
According to the cathedral’s chief priest, Myroslav Vdodovych, “It was a direct hit, right in the altar area”. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that Russia's Defense Ministry denied responsibility for the Cathedral's destruction, instead claiming the destruction was most likely due to “the fall of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft guided missile”.
Following the attack, which killed two people and injured around 22 (including children), nearly 300 priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church called for an immediate, final break of ties with the Russian Orthodox Church due to Russia's war on Ukraine. The letter was published July 23 by the Ukrainian media outlet Glavkom.
The Odesa Diocese of the UOC condemned Russia's attack against the historic Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, and UNESCO World Heritage site, saying "this act of terrorism against the main shrine and spiritual heart of the city of Odesa - the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, around which peaceful civilians reside, and the cathedral itself - is in no way connected with military facilities."
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the cathedral, which was consecrated in 1809 as the first and primary Orthodox church in Odesa, had been "looted and destroyed by Bolsheviks" in 1936 and "restored in independent Ukraine." Zelensky, who visited the ruined Cathedral on July 27, added that "now terrorists are trying to destroy it again".
The UNESCO’s director-general, Audrey Azoulay, condemned the recent attacks. “This outrageous destruction marks an escalation of violence against the cultural heritage of Ukraine.”
Myroslav Vdodovych spent the following morning at his church coordinating the recovery effort. He noted that if any silver lining is to be found, it is that the cathedral blocked the missile from slamming into nearby buildings. According to the priest, although those buildings sustained some damage, there were no fatalities among their occupants. “In this way,” Vdodovych added, “we can say the cathedral saved lives.”
Sources: smithsonianmag.com, ncronline.org, nbcnews.com