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the Liturgy plays a key role in the case of correcting the prisoners, bringing them to Christ and His Church,  for

changing not only the direct participants in God's service, but also their environment: a prison is a very close-bodied

place, everything is close, out in the open, and thus the grace of the Holy Spirit applies to virtually everybody,

who is even slightly open to the Lord, seeking His mercy and pray to Him ...

We took the Holy Communion, prayed for us sinners, and all those killed and tortured in camps and prisons ...

This is - a prison.

It is a prison  our’s.

Road to Europe starts from prisons, hospitals and orphanages - I beleive so ...

And, on the other hand - with the judicial, executive and legislative authorities.

With the judicial - in the first place ...

So what is my point?

My point is that: our prisoners without the Lord can only be crippled (hurt).

I.e - the prisons release not the reclaimed (healed) criminals, but even more poisoned, morally crippled people, who can not live in a normal civilized society ...

The Orthodox Mission "Hodegetria" conducts its charitable activities

in Odessa:

in two hospitals,

AIDS hospice,

prison

two convict colonies,

and two prison hospitals.

These activities - are the fulfillment of the Lord's command.

http://mission.tyurem.net/ru/help

Church Service was held in convict colony of intensive regime. We prayed and then spoke about the sacraments of the Church, and sin, and repentance, about the

prison and freedom.

At the end we discussed the technical details of the construction of the Church – everything stopped-- no one moves the construction ...

After the service, I spoke with the head of the colony for the order of forged products for the Church.

The Lord will provide ...

Right now I received the Prison Officer’s call - I was given a room  for  the Chapel right on the prison cell block.

Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord!

This means - someone else will be able to reach out to the Christ ... and maybe – There is not only one person ...

Merciful Lord, loves us, unworthy and evil, He does not want the death of the sinner, but wants the sinner come to repentance, and save his soul...

Photo  by Boris Buchman

I would often come to them, but so far - one day a week, in principle - is sufficient at  this stage ...

Some fifteen persons participated.

To hear the message of the Apostles and the Gospel.

A Liturgy took place in Odessa prison 

We prayed for Ukraine, for Odessa, for piece, for soldiers, for the killed and tortured in prisons and .prison camps.
Received the sacraments

Part of the Sermon:

"Listen to the Gospel, and try to comply with.

One kind man..has brought to the prison 2 warm blankets and 15 pairs of shoes for the prisoners. They will celebrate in the convict colony of intensive regime: conversion of 15 prisoners from slipper wearing range into the category of normal prisoners.

Thanks a lot my dear Kind  Man, You’ve helped a lot