Kuksha of Odessa - Return To Ukraine (1947)

Return To Ukraine (1947)

In 1947, Kuksha returned to the Lavra and with a great joy had been received by lavra brethren. In 1951, Soviet authorities transferred father Kuksha from Kiev to the Holy Dormition Lavra in Pochaev, in western Ukraine. In Pochayev, Kuksha served at the local wonder-icon of Virgin Mary. Besides that father Kuksha had to confess people. All who were coming to Pochayev tried to get for confession with Kuksha. During the course of 3 years, Kuksha conducted morning services at the Cave Temple.

At the end of April 1957, on the Passion Week of the Great Lent, he was transferred to the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Khreshchatyk, Chernovtsi Oblast. There, elder Kuksha used often to repeat "Here I am at home, here I am on Athon".

In 1960, Chernovtsi women monastery was closed and the nuns were transferred to the men's Saint John Monastery in Khreshchatyk, whereas the monks were sent to Pochayev Lavra. The chief archimandrite Michael (in schema Mytrophanos) was appointed as parish priest not far from the village Khreshchatyk and father Kuksha was transferred to Holy Dormition Monastery in Odessa. July 19, 1960 he arrives in that monastery where spends the last 4 years of his hard life. He was appointed to confess people and to help to take out particles from sacrifice breads during proscomidia - the initial part of the liturgy. The cell of the elder was next to Saint Nicholas church.