June 4, 2018 - 15:42 AMT
15th century Armenian church bells consecrated in Odessa Oblast

The bells of the Armenian Church of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God, built in the 15th century, have been consecrated in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, a city in Ukraine's Odessa Oblast.

The consecration was conducted by the Primate of the Ukrainian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Marcos Hovhannisyan, AnalitikaUA.net reports.

On that day, Mayor Alla Ginak, Consul General of Armenia in Odessa Hayk Ghulyan, Deputy Chairman of the Union of Armenians of Ukraine Levon Ghulyan, philanthropist Feliks Petrosyan, as well as other guests from different regions of Ukraine and Romania visited the church.

The 15th century church is one of the oldest Armenian churches in Eastern Europe. The building was transferred to the Armenian community in accordance with the decision of the Odessa Regional Council in December 2012. Restorative works, sponsored by Feliks Petrosyan, began shortly afterwards.