Kuksha of Odessa

Saint Kuksha of Odessa, born Kosma Velichko (25 January [O.S. January 12] 1875 in selo Arbuzynka, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire – December 24, 1964 in Odessa, USSR), is a modern saint canonized by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in 1995.

Kosma Velitchko was born on January 12, 1875 in the village of Arbuzinka Kherson region, Nikolaev Province to the pious and Christ-loving Kirill and Kharitina Velitchko. In her youth, his mother dreamed of becoming a nun, but married from obedience to her parents. She had two more sons, Theodore (Fedor) and John (Ivan), and a daughter, Maria and that one of her children would fulfill her dream and enter the monastic life.

In his young years, Kosma, made walking pilgrimages to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, traveled to the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra, to the far north Valaam and Solovki monasteries, and to Jerusalem and Holy Land in 1895. Kosma lived in Jerusalem for six months and visited all the sacred places in Palestine. On his way back, he visited Mount Athos. Before departing from Athos, the pilgrims went to the archimandrite of Saint Panteleimon monastery for a road blessing. Kosma expressed his will to join the monks there. The archimandrite consented and told him to return after one year, and gave Kosma a little icon of monastery patron saint, the great martyr Saint Panteleimon. This icon Kosma kept all his life.

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