| Accept The site uses cookies to help show you the most up-to-date information. By continuing to use the site, you consent to the use of your Metadata and cookies. Cookie policy Delegation of scholars from the Serbian Orthodox Church visits Russia. DECR Communication service, 05.12.2023. As per the decision of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, a delegation visited Russia fr om 22 nd November to 2 nd December 2023. The delegation was made up of the dean of the faculty of Orthodox theology of Belgrade University protopresbyter Zoran Rankovi, the director of the Library of the Serbian Patriarchate Z. Nedelkovi and colleague of the Library of the Serbian Patriarchate E. Slavkovi. Fr om 22 nd to 27 th November the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church visited Saint Petersburg, wh ere on 24 th November an agreement was signed on cooperation between the Russian National Library and the Library of the Serbian patriarchate. During their stay in the northern capital of Russia the guests fr om Serbia visited the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan, the Saint Alexander Nevsky Monastery and the Saint Alexander of Svir Monastery, as well as the chapel of the Blessed Xenia of Saint Petersburg and the grave of Saint John of Kronstadt in the stauropegic Convent of Saint John of Rila on Karpovka River. On 27 th November the delegation arrived in Moscow, wh ere they were met and accompanied by staff member of the secretariat for inter-Orthodox ties of the Department for External Church Relations A. Yu. Khoshev. At the Convent of the Intercession the guests venerated the relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow and at the Saint Daniel’s Monastery of Moscow they venerated the relics of the holy and right-believing prince Daniel of Moscow and other holy objects of the monastic house. On 29 th November an agreement was signed on cooperation between the Russian State Library and the Library of the Serbian Patriarchate. On the same day the delegation visited the Saint Andrew’s Stauropegic Monastery, wh ere there was a meeting between the director of the Synodal Library of the Russian Orthodox Church archpriest Alexander Troitsky and the vicar abbot of the monastery and director of post-graduate studies at the Moscow Theological Academy Father Dionysius (Shlenov), who acquainted the guests fr om the Serbian Orthodox Church with the contemporary life of Saint Andrew’s Monastery, the Synodal Library and the post-graduate studies department of the Moscow Theological Academy. They discussed the possibilities of cooperation with the faculty of Orthodox theology at Belgrade University and the Library of the Serbian Patriarchate. |
| Patriarchal Exarch of Southeast Asia Celebrates Divine Services in the Exarchate’s Churches Source: DECR Photo: mospat.ru From 22 nd to 27 th April 2019, during the Holy Week, Metropolitan Sergy of Singapore, Patriarchal Exarch of Southeast Asia, celebrated the divine services at the Church of the Holy Dormition in Singapore. On Easter night Metropolitan Sergy celebrated the Midnight Office, led the procession with the cross and officiated at the Paschal Matins and Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating with the archpastor were Hieromonk Pitirim (Dondenko), secretary of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia; Rev. Yevgeny (Shmelev), cleric of the Dormition Church in Singapore; and Hierodeacon Yuvenaly (Lapshin), cleric of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Ostankino, Moscow. Prior to the communion of worshippers Metropolitan Sergy read out the Paschal Message of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. A festive repast followed the Liturgy. On 2 nd May, Thursday of the Bright Week, commemoration day of Blessed Matrona of Moscow, the Patriarchal Exarch celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh on the Island of Bali, Indonesia, in concelebration with Hieromonk Pitirim (Dondenko). Rev. Iliya Melnichenko, cleric of St. Sergius Parish in Bali; and Hierodeacon Yuvenaly (Lapshin). The Patriarchal Exarch of Southeast Asia also officiated at the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Sergius on the commemoration day of the ‘Life-Giving Spring’ Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, and after the service blessed the water. On 4 th May Metropolitan Sergy celebrated the All-Night Vigil at the Church of the Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, in Jakarta, Indonesia. Concelebrating with the Patriarchal Exarch were Hieromonk Pitirm (Dondenko); Hieromonk Ioasaf (Tandibilang), rector of St. Vladimir Church in Jakarta; Rev. Boris Setyawan, rector of the Church of the Holy Apostle Thomas in Jakarta; and Hierodeacon Yuvenaly (Lapshin). Among those praying at the service were clerics of the Indonesia Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. After the All-Night Vigil the archpastor met with the clerics and parishioners. |
| Accept The site uses cookies to help show you the most up-to-date information. By continuing to use the site, you consent to the use of your Metadata and cookies. Cookie policy Delegation of the Church of India comes to Russia DECR Communication Service, 25.04.2023. With a blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, a delegation of the Malankara Church of India came to Moscow on April 24 to attend the second session of the Working Group for Coordinating Bilateral Relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church. The delegation includes Metropolitan Abraham Mar Stephanos, head of the Diocese of Great Britain, Europe and Africa, and Rev. Ashwin Fernandez, executive director of the Malankara Church Department for External Church Relations. Participants in the session from the Moscow Patriarchate are Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch for Africa, co-chairman of the Working Group; Hieromonk Stephen (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations and secretary of the Working Group; Deacon Dimitry Serov, director of the Moscow Theological Academy Publishers; Hierodeacon Petr (Ahmathanov), DECR staff member. The visit to Russia began with a call to the Patriarchal Convent of the Intercession in which the Indian delegation will stay while in the fold of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Working Group session was opened by Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, who welcomed the guests on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. He said in particular ‘This holy place is well known to you as you stayed in this convent of Blessed Matrona of Moscow when you accompanied His Holiness Catholicos Basil Mar Thomas Paulose II during his official visit to Russia in 2019. That historic meeting of the two Primates resulted in establishing, our Working Group which is holding its second session. Since our first meeting in February 2020, many events have happened in Kottayam. The world has been overtaken by the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, by God’s mercy our people have held out against this disastrous disease. In July 2021, the Malankara Church suffered the loss of its Primate - His Holiness Basil Mar Thomas Paulose II. I witnessed how deeply His Holiness was involved in the agenda of the bilateral relations, how concerned he was for the development of all the current areas of our cooperation, how genuine was his love for Russia and the Russian Church’. |
| Accept The site uses cookies to help show you the most up-to-date information. By continuing to use the site, you consent to the use of your Metadata and cookies. Cookie policy Synod points to importance of promoting projects as part of dialogue with Malankara Church DECR Communication Service, 12/03/2024 During its meeting on 12 th March 2024, the Holy Synod heard a report by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, on the activities of the Working Group for Coordinating Bilateral Relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The Working Group, set up in compliance with a decision of the Holy Synod of 29 th October 2019, held its first meeting in Kottayam on 3 rd – 7 th February 2020, and the second one in Moscow on 24 th – 27 th April 2023. The Working Group successfully promotes student exchange, which has become an important aspect of the bilateral dialogue; develops cooperation in the media sphere, in youth and social ministry, as well as contacts between medical institutions of the two Churches; and helps representatives of the Malankara Church to gain a deeper insight into the monastic traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church. More and more Indian Christians learn about and revere Russian saints, such as, for example, Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov and Blessed Matrona of Moscow. The Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church act in concert with each other at various inter-Christian forums, working together to uphold traditional values and protect Christians who are suffering from persecutions in different regions of the world. In September 2023, the Primate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, visited Russia . On 6 th September, he met with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ . The two Primates noted that the bilateral relations between their Churches had reached a high level of cooperation. |
| Archive Delegation of abbots and abbesses of the Coptic Church visits Orthodox holy places in Moscow and Moscow Region 16 September 2019 year 11:18 From September 12-15, 2019, a delegation of abbots, abbesses and nuns of the Coptic Orthodox Church monasteries and convents, who are on a pilgrimage to Russia at the invitation of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, visited churches in monasteries in Moscow and Moscow Region. The delegation began their stay in Moscow with a visit to the Patriarchal Convent of the Protecting Veil to venerate the relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow. They were cordially welcomed by Mother Superior Theophania (Miskina) and the sisters. On September 13, the guests visited the Moscow representation of the St. Sergius Monastery of the Holy Trinity to meet with the head of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monastics, Archbishop Feognost of Kashira. His Eminence warmly greeted the delegation of Egypt stating the importance of continuing such reciprocal visits for a more profound study of the history and today’s life and rich experience of the Coptic and Russian monasticism. On the same day, the delegation visited the Patriarchal Conception Convent to meet with Mother Superior Juliania (Kaleda) and the sisters. A grand reception was given in honour of the guests from Egypt after which the abbess talked to the delegation members with many of whom she had met last year as a member of the Moscow Patriarchate delegation of abbots and abbesses on their visit to Egypt. Equally warm was the welcome given to the Coptic monks and nuns at the Ss Martha and Mary Convent of Mercy, whose abbess Elizabeth (Posdnyakova) too was on the last year trip of the Russian delegation to old cloisters in Egypt. On September 14, the guests came to the Convent of Our Lady of Smolensk to meet with the patriarchal vicar of the diocese of Moscow, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, who cordially welcomed them on behalf of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod, stressing that it was a great joy for him to receive representatives of Egyptian old monastic tradition. ‘The Coptic Church’, he said’, is a guardian of old traditions of Christian devotion, which have never been interrupted’. Bishop Daniel, the head of the delegation, on his part, warmly thanked the metropolitan for the generous reception and asked to convey to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church best regards and wishes from the Coptic Patriarch Tawadros II. |
| Dnepropetrovsk region: tornado changed its direction before the Chapel of Blessed Matrona Volosskoye (a village in the Dnepropetrovsk region of E central Ukraine), July 2, 2015 A tornado above the river Dnieper near the village of Volosskoye was formed in the afternoon of June 26. According to the eyewitnesses’ evidence, it had at least 100 meters (c. 328 feet) in diameter and was about 1 kilometer (c. 0.62 miles) high. “Moving along the Dnieper, the tornado was light, but, swooping on the village, it turned much darker, absorbing everything on its way. Darkness, wailing, roaring, uprooted trees, roofs and fences carried miles away from their houses, crumpled gas main pipes, torn power lines, ruined and heavily damaged houses, frightened children and shocked adults – this is what the natural disaster left our village with,” the message on the website of the Church of the Holy Archangel Michael in Volosskoye reads. Exactly two weeks before the disaster Metropolitan Irenaeus of Dnepropetrovsk had consecrated a Chapel in honor of Blessed Matrona in Volosskoye. It was built in gratitude for a miraculous healing of a parishioner that had occurred after fervent prayers to the saint, the church website relates. The tornado was rushing towards the chapel and was already very near when Angelina, a mother of three children, who lives close to the chapel and saw approaching of the whirlwind from the window of her house, took an icon of Blessed Matrona in her hands and crossed the tornado with it. At once the vortex changed its direction, turned left, and, skirting the chapel, Angelina’s house, and all the neighboring dwellings, headed towards the Rakshivka village, losing its strength with each yard. Nevertheless, the Volosskoye village suffered extensive damage. “I never could imagine that metal-plastic windows can bend so easily!” relates one local resident. “Everything around became dark and such a horrible wail began – I had never heard anything like it before!” recounts another inhabitant. |
| Blessed Alypia, Fool-for-Christ of Kiev An honored grave Blessed Alypia. On the northern outskirts of Kiev, amongst the fir and old birch trees, Lesnoe cemetery extends for several kilometers. Deep within it, to the right of the central gates, one of the cemetery plots seems to have broken away from nonexistence and atheistic captivity. It starkly differs from the now customary marble preponderance of brownish-black gravestones and slabs. White crosses on the humble graves speak of eternal life, transfigured and joyful. This cemetery ground belongs to the old Florov Convent, and here rest the nuns and clergy, who died during the latter half of the last century. Lesnoe cemetery came into being during the 1960’s, when Abbess Antonia of the Florov Ascension Monastery brought money to the city’s executive committee to purchase eight cemetery plots. The Abbess could not have guessed, of course, that this place would in time attract pilgrims from all corners of the Ukraine, Belorussia, Russia, and even from across the ocean. In the fall of 1988, the blessed nun Alypia (Avdeeva) was buried here. She was known to the world as a fool-for-Christ and clairvoyant eldress. Now the honor shown her by the people of Kiev can only be compared to that of St. Matrona of Moscow, although Blessed Alypia is not yet canonized as a saint. Documentation is only now being gathered and studied, but in the opinion of the Abbot of the Pokrov Goloseyevsky Hermitage, Archimandrite Isaac (Andronik), who headed the restoration of that monastery in the 1990’s, the blessed nun will soon be canonized. As an aside, Blessed Alypia labored in asceticism at the ruins of the Goloseyevsky Hermitage, and prayed to the God-pleasers who lived there during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, some of whom were also buried there: Metropolitan Philaret (Amphiteatrov †1857) of Kiev, whose relics are now in the Kiev-Caves Lavra, and his spiritual father, Hieroschemamonk Parthenius (†1855); Hieroschemamonk Theofile the fool-for-Christ (†1853) and monk Paisius (†1893); and the elder, Hieromonk Alexy (Shepelev †1917). Blessed Alypia as if received the spiritual baton that the Goloseyevsky ascetics handed on, and prayed many years for the renewal of that monastery. She told her spiritual children that she would abide there “forever, but not right away.” |
| Primate of Russian Church celebrates Liturgy at Convent of Protecting Veil of the Mother of God on the 2nd Sunday of Lent Source: DECR Natalya Mihailova 10 March 2015 On 8 March 2015, the 2nd Sunday of Lent, the commemoration day of St Gregory Palamas the Archbishop of Thessalonica and the feast of the finding of the holy relics of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia visited the Stavropegic Convent of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God in Moscow. This year marks the 380th anniversary of the foundation of the convent and the 20th anniversary of its revival. Upon his arrival at the convent, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill venerated the holy relics of the blessed eldress Matrona at the Church of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God and officiated at the Liturgy of St Basil the Great at the Church of the Resurrection. During the Liturgy, Archimandrite Ioann (Moshnegutsu) was consecrated Bishop of Soroca, vicar of the diocese of Chiinu (Orthodox Church of Moldova). Concelebrating with His Holiness was an assembly of hierarchs and priests of the Russian Orthodox Church, including clerics of the Orthodox Church of Moldova. After the Litany of Fervent Supplication the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church said a prayer for peace in Ukraine. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill also prayed for the repose of the soul of the recently demised Metropolitan Manuil of Karelia and Petrozavodsk. After the Liturgy Hegumenness Feofania (Miskina), abbess of the Stavropegic Convent of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God, greeted His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and presented him with an old icon of the Protecting Veil of the Most Holy Theotokos. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed the worshippers with a primatial homily. His Holiness presented the sisters of the convent with an embroidered image of the Last Supper. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church also presented high church awards and said a thanksgiving at the shrine with the relics of the blessed eldress Matrona. |
| On May 2, 1999, the rite of canonization of the blessed eldress Matrona , ascetic of piety of the twentieth century and national consoler in the atheist years so mournful for the Church, was celebrated before a large gathering of people. This blessed Christ-pleaser shines with a special light amidst the great host of Russian saints standing before the Throne of God. From birth, she was bereft of the ability to see, but she possessed blessed spiritual vision—the gift of clairvoyance. Photo: svMatrona.ru Do we understand what it means to be blind from birth, to live ever in impenetrable darkness? It’s impossible to escape from it—nothing and no one, and there’s just darkness without end, beyond which is eternal darkness after death. Matronushka was not just blind, but she didn’t even have eyes. Her eye sockets were tightly covered by closed eyelids, like that white bird had that her mother saw in a dream before her birth. In the sixth week of Pascha, on the Sunday of the Blind Man, we hear the Lord’s explanation of the meaning of Blessed Matrona’s sufferings. Who sinned—he or his parents? the Lord’s disciples anxiously ask about the man blind from birth (Jn. 9:2). All troubles are associated with sin; even earthquakes, floods, and droughts are from our sins, and there is a mysterious law of justice, according to which punishment from sin reaches unto the third and fourth generation, but the mercy of God upon a saint extends unto a thousand generations. However, this law is always hidden and mysterious, and we should beware of making straightforward conclusions. It’s not without reason that the Ecclesiast laments that so often the righteous endure affliction, while the wicked prosper. This is a sticking point for many, not just for yesterday’s professional atheists, denying the existence of God because of the terrible suffering and injustices in the world, although in their outrage itself you can sometimes see a good blindness—an unconscious yearning for God; our desire for perfection and a higher justice is already the light of God within us. |
| Tweet Нравится Unique prayer book for the blind published in Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk, November 10, 2016 Photo: http://www.arh-eparhia.ru/ A Braille prayer book for the blind has been presented in Arkhangelsk. The publication was blessed by Metropolitan Daniel of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory. The unique book was printed in the regional specialized library for the blind, reports the Arkhangelsk Diocese’s website . Methodologist at the library for the blind Nikolai Smirnov related how the idea of creating the unique prayer book was born. “Once a reader asked me to print her prayers in Braille. I printed something for her, but then it occurred to us that we must prepare a whole prayer book so that it might be available for everybody, because we had not had such a book before,” said Nikolai. According to the specialist, the technical process entails difficulties related to transcribing the text into Braille: “It’s done by a special computer program and a special printer is used for printing in Braille. If an average print page has fifty lines and each line has up to eighty characters, then a Braille page has twenty-seven lines and each line has twenty-eight characters. Thus three – four Braille pages make up one page of a text in print.” Photo: http://www.arh-eparhia.ru/ Photo: http://www.arh-eparhia.ru/ According to Metropolitan Daniel, today’s event is of great importance as henceforth visually impaired people who bear a heavy cross will be able to read prayers which were composed by the holy fathers. “Through prayer the heart, the main organ of our body, transforms. Strong prayers give one’s heart a deep feeling which we call happiness, joy, bliss. The more people partake in prayer, the better,” said the archpastor during the presentation at the creative hall of the youth center. Photo: http://www.arh-eparhia.ru/ Twelve copies of the Braille prayer book have been issued in Arkhangelsk in total, each consisting of two parts. During the presentation ceremony blind believers received the edition as a gift and Metropolitan Daniel blessed everybody with an icon of St. Matrona of Moscow. According to the library director Svetlana Borisova, the icon will become the main relic of this center. |
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