On May 17 in the chapel of Saint Andrew the First-called Apostle (Odesa, Himnaziyna St., 22/24), the competition of children's songs "Song of the heart," dedicated to the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus’ and the foundation of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, and also the Year of Christian Vocation, was held. The concert was organized by the Catechetical Commission of the Odesa and Crimea Exarchate of the UGCC.

The performers, children from 10 to 17 years in age, represented various parishes of the UGCC in southern Ukraine, specifically the Odesa, Kirovohrad, Mikolaiv, and Kherson regions. This competition prepares the performers for the patriarchal-level song competition, in which the best singers will take part.

A total of 17 songs were presented, some of which were accompanied by various musical instruments: guitars, bandura, and others. The following compositions were heard in the program of the competition: “I live in the Lord” (Cyril Borisov), “This is my earth” (Varvara and Maria Sukharev), “In the quiet shining of the moonlit night” (Inna Eglitis), “Messiah” (Halyna Yurkevych and Victor Tsoy), “Apostle” (Halyna Yurkevych, Kseniya Yurkevych and Viktor Tsoy), “Hug me, God,” “Virgin Mary” (Varvara and Maria Sukharev), “Ukraine, the holy land” (Irene Kuz'mych and Andriy Andrusyk), “A song is heard about Jesus” (Olha Hrechyna), “O My Mother, I will follow Christ” (Serhiy Il'nytskyj), “The living Christ” (Natalia Yanchuk and Yulia Motsio), “Prayer to the holy Protectress” (Valentina Kalivoshko), “You are going to Heaven” (Natalia Yanchuk and Yulia Motsio), “My heart sings” (Yulia Motsio), “God eternal” (Roman Motsio), “Love Ukraine” (Maria Chumak).

The Exarch of Odessa and Crimea, Bishop Vasyliy (Ivasyuk), presented awards for the performers. The song festival ended with a prayer service to the Most Holy Mother of God for the children and youth of the Odesa and Crimea Exarchate.

Pictures from the competition can be seen and downloaded from the gallery on the site “Orthodox Catholics of Odesa” at the address http://www.cerkva.od.ua/.

Information Department

of the Parish of Saint Andrew the First-called Apostle