Crime in Odessa was committed by evil human will, – Metropolitan Agafangel (VIDEO)

On May 2, the third anniversary of the tragic events in Odessa, Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail of the UOC performed a funeral service at the Cathedral in honor of the icon of the Theotokos the "Life-giving Spring" of the Holy Assumption Monastery of Odessa, writes the website of the diocese.

His Eminence Agafangel also did the akathist singing before the miraculous icon of the Theotokos the"Milk-Giver".

A large number of city clergy, brethren of the monastery and believers participated in the Liturgy.

Before the commemoration, Vladyka addressed the audience with an archpastoral word, in which he stressed that "today, on the day of the sorrowful anniversary, when three years ago in our city there was a terrible tragedy that took dozens of lives of innocent Odessites, we came under the arches of this cathedral to offer prayers for all the innocently murdered.

Their shed blood cries out to God. The evil human will committed this terrible crime. Sons of Cain and the descendants of Ham shed innocent blood, killing dozens of civilians.

We mourn together with the relatives and friends of the deceased. And all this time in our churches prayers are offered for the dead on May 2, 2014 in Odessa. By our blessing, even today in all Odessa churches commemorated services are held in memory of the innocently murdered.

And no matter how many years have passed since this tragedy, we will remember everyone who died, praying to the Lord about them. We pray and we will pray for the softening of evil hearts, for the cessation of hatred and disorder in our land, where people of different nationalities and faiths have lived in peace and harmony for centuries.

Unfortunately, in the past three years law enforcement agencies have not solved this terrible crime. We believe that the Lord hears our prayers for the deceased and will lay to rest all innocently murdered people in the righteous places," said Vladyka.