« Bishop Matthew of Sourozh took part in the celebrations marking the 15th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' »

On February 1, 2024, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh concelebrated with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' at the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.

On this day, the entirety of the Russian Orthodox Church prayerfully celebrates the 15th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'. In all churches and monasteries, prayers were offered for the Primate of the Church, who was elected at the Local Church Council in 2009 to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne.

During the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, His Holiness was assisted by permanent members of the Holy Synod, a synaxis of bishops and clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate and Local Orthodox Churches.

Among those, who prayed in the church, were the abbesses of women's monasteries, clergy from Moscow and the Moscow region, employees of synodal and other church institutions, representatives of parish councils, teachers and students of church educational institutions.

High government officials also attended the divine service.

The solemn service was also attended by Minister of the Government of Serbia, Chairman of the Serbian People's Party Nenad Popovic; Apostolic Nuncio to the Russian Federation, Archbishop Giovanni D'Agnello;  Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Archbishop Paolo Pezzi;  Head of the New Nakhichevan and Russian Diocese, Archbishop Ezras (Nersisyan); representative of the Assyrian Church of the East, chorebishop Samano Odisho; and representative of the Coptic Church in Russia, Hieromonk Daoud el-Antoni.

Liturgical chants were performed by the choir of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior (choirmaster - I.B. Tolkachev) and the clergy choir of the Moscow Metropolia under the direction of priest Sergiy Golev.

The Patriarchal service was broadcast live on the Soyuz and Spas TV channels, as well as on Patriarchia.ru, official website of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The augmented litany included special petitions for Holy Rus', as well as petitions for the now honoured Patriarch Kirill and for the Russian Church under his leadership. Metropolitan Yuvenaly read a prayer for the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.  His Holiness offered a prayer for Holy Rus'.

The sermon before the Holy Communion was delivered by Archbishop Theophylact of Pyatigorsk and Circassia.

At the end of the Liturgy, after the “Many Years,” Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk announced a congratulatory address from the members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the 15th anniversary of his enthronement.

As a gift, Metropolitan Gregory presented His Holiness with an ancient icon of the “Savior in Power” and a bouquet of white roses.

Further, the Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, D.N.Chernyshenko, congratulated His Holiness.

The Primate of the Russian Church addressed the participants of the solemn service with the Primate’s word.

Then the presentation of church awards took place. By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the Right Reverend Archpastors, who celebrated memorable dates and who worked especially hard for the benefit of the Holy Church, were awarded orders of the Russian Orthodox Church and memorable panagias.

In the behind-the-altar gallery of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, His Holiness the Patriarch was congratulated on the 15th anniversary of his enthronement by members of the Patriarchal Volunteers movement.

After the divine service, a reception was held to mark the fifteenth anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness.

Patriarchia.ru/Sourozh.org

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