St. Elijah monastery, Orthodox monastery in historical city centre of Odesa, Ukraine.
St. Elijah Monastery is an Orthodox monastery in central Odesa, recognizable by its gilded domes and painted facades. Inside, frescoes depicting saints and biblical scenes cover the walls and ceilings throughout the main church.
The monastery was founded in 1884, at a time when the Orthodox church in Odesa was growing and new religious buildings were being built across the city. During the Soviet period it was closed and only reopened for worship after Ukrainian independence.
The monastery is an active place of Orthodox worship, with services drawing local faithful from across the city on a regular basis. Inside, the iconostasis covered in gold ornaments forms the focal point of the church.
The monastery is open to visitors during the day, and modest dress is expected, with shoulders and knees covered and a headscarf for women. Those who want to visit the chapels without a service in progress should come in the early morning.
The monastery is dedicated to the Prophet Elijah, who in the Old Testament is associated with rain and storms, a symbol that carried particular meaning for a sea-facing city like Odesa. Part of the complex was used as a printing house for religious texts after its reopening.
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