Odesa Celebrates Fourth Easter in Wartime Amid Russian Attacks

On April 20, Odesa residents celebrated the fourth Easter in wartime, which took place, at least in Odesa, without air raids, as it did last year.

An Intent correspondent attended the consecration of Easter cakes at the Holy Trinity Church in Odesa, where Vasyl Vyrozub, who was captured by the Russians in 2022 and returned from there, is the rector.

Vasyl Vyrozub was taken prisoner in February. He went aboardthe Sapphire rescue ship on a humanitarian mission to Zmiinyi Island to evacuate the bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers who defended the island.

On the eve of Easter, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he had declared a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in turn, noted that he did not trust the Kremlin, but ordered to open fire in response to Russian attacks. As of 12:00 a.m. on Easter, the Russians had made more than 20 assault attempts, and at night they fired 59 times at Ukrainian military positions and Ukrainian cities.

In 2025, Christians of the Eastern and Western rites will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ simultaneously on April 20. Easter is an official holiday in Ukraine. Since it always falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is usually a day off. However, this rule does not apply during martial law. Therefore, if martial law is extended, Monday, April 21, 2025, will be a working day.

Last year, on May 5, 2024, Odesa residents celebrated the third Easter in wartime. Odesa residents celebrated the second wartime Easter on April 16, 2023.

The day before, on May 4, three residents of the region - a man and two women - were injured as a result of a missile strike by the Russians.

The man was treated by doctors on the spot, the women were hospitalized and are receiving all the necessary medical care. In 2022, on the eve of Easter, a Russian missile hit a cemetery. A woman was injured.

The woman was cleaning the graves when the missile arrived. She was diagnosed with lacerations and concussion. Pyrotechnics removed the remnants of one modern-made rocket (safe elements) from the scene.

Кирило Бойко