Home page News
Primates of Russian Orthodox Church and Ortho…

Primates of Russian Orthodox Church and Orthodox Church in America celebrate liturgy at Kremlin Cathedral of the Assumption

On December 6, the Day of the Entry of Our Lady to the Temple and the 97th anniversary of the enthronement of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of All Russia, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Assumption in the Moscow Kremlin.

The two Primates were assisted by a great assembly of bishops and priests from the both Churches.

Traditionally for the Day of the Entry of Our Lady to the Temple, the service was attended by representatives of the Peter the Great Military Academy of Strategic Missile Forces which celebrates on this day the anniversary of its foundation.

After the Prayer of Fervent Supplication, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church lifted up a prayer for peace in Ukraine.

After the Liturgy, Patriarch Kirill addressed the congregation. He greeted Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada and presented His Beatitude with a cross and a pectoral icon.

In his response, Metropolitan Tikhon said in particular,

‘It is with profound joy and brotherly love that I greet Your Holiness on this Feast of the Entrance of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple. Our concelebration today gives expression to our unity in faith and love, and therefore witnesses to the Eucharistic unity of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in America.

‘By standing together before the Holy Altar, we bring to God both Russia and America, just as my patron saint and your predecessor, St Tikhon, whose enthronement we commemorate today, united our two lands by his apostolic labors as Enlightener of North America and his martyric witness as Patriarch of Moscow.

‘The Orthodox Church in America has received many gifts from the Church of Russia. The first Russian Orthodox missionaries came to Alaska two hundred and twenty years ago from Valaam Monastery, planting the seeds of the Orthodox faith in North America. The Monk Herman, a member of that missionary group, by his humility, faithfulness and love became the first Orthodox saint in the New World, being canonized by the Orthodox Church in America in 1970.

‘The great missionary of the 19th century, Innokenty (Veniaminov), began his priestly service in Alaska, multiplied his talents as a missionary both in Alaska and Siberia, and ended his life as Metropolitan of Moscow. St. Innokenty was canonized in 1977 by the Church of Russia at the request of the Orthodox Church in America.

St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, served as archbishop of the Orthodox mission in North America at the beginning of the 20th century, guiding the mission in its growth across the United States and Canada, and foreseeing the future of the mission in an autocephalous Orthodox Church in America.

‘In 1970 the Church of Russia granted autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in America, fulfilling the prediction of St. Tikhon. By this action of the Russian Orthodox Church the young Orthodox Church in America became a sister church.

‘The history we have briefly described includes much suffering and many troubles, as well as many joys and achievements. The 20th century was a time of persecution for the Church of Russia, with many martyrs and confessors bearing witness to Christ.

‘At the end of the last century a time of renewal and rebirth began for the Church of Russia. Today we see the Russian Orthodox Church doing its missionary work in Russian society, preaching the Word of God and serving the people in works of charity in the name of Christ.

‘For the Orthodox Church in America the 20th Century was also a time of trials and tribulations. The Russian Revolution and the persecution of the Church in Russia was reflected in church life in America. For decades normal communication between Russia and America was not possible. The Church in America gained in strength and awareness of its mission and identity.

‘Today, the Orthodox Church in America has seen fruits of missionary growth in the number of missions and parishes, monasteries and theological schools, programs of Orthodox education for children and young people, and the publication of scholarly and popular works of theology.

‘Our historical and spiritual connection to the Church of Russia is very real, yet the diversity of the Orthodox Church in America connects us with the Orthodox Christians in Romania and Albania, in Poland and the Czech Lands and Slovakia, in Bulgaria and Ukraine, in the Churches of Antioch and Jerusalem and Greece.

Your Holiness, this Liturgy today is a feast of faith, a feast of joy and a feast of love. We feel the presence of St. Innokenty and St. Tikhon. Above all, we thank God for His abundant love and mercy. As an expression of thanks for the hospitality that Your Holiness has shown to me and to our delegation from the Orthodox Church in America, I would like to present you with this copy of the Sitka Icon of the Mother of God. The original was a gift in 1850 from the Russian American Company to the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Sitka, Alaska, where it resides today as a comfort to the faithful of Alaska and all of North America. May she also be a blessing for you and for all the bishops, clergy and faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church’.

Patriarchal Press Service

DECR Communication Service

Photos by Patriarchal Press Service

Share:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends congratulations to Archbishop Joani of Tirana and All Albania on his enthronement

29.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends condolences over devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand

28.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends congratulations to Archbishop Joani of Tirana and All Albania on his election as Primate of Albanian Orthodox Church

16.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends letter to His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch concerning tragic developments in Syria

11.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates the Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral

09.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with delegation of Malankara Church

08.03.2025

Delegation of the Malankara Church attends Patriarchal Liturgy on the commemoration day of Blessed Matrona of Moscow

08.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill speaks on the phone with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

25.02.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the Ambassador of Pakistan to Russia

06.02.2025

Divine Liturgy celebrated at Christ the Saviour Cathedral on the occasion of the sixteenth anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill

01.02.2025

Condolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the passing of the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church

25.01.2025

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrated Great Vespers at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

07.01.2025

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Primate of the Russian Church celebrated the Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

07.01.2025

Christmas Message by His Holiness Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia

06.01.2025

A Joint Session of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Took Place

26.12.2024

DECR Chairman participates in Divine Service at the Resurrection Cathedral in Tokyo

30.03.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk celebrates Divine Liturgy at the Resurrection Church in Seoul

23.03.2025

The Holy Synod confirms a number of appointments regarding the foreign dioceses and parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church.

20.03.2025

Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Anthony presents report to the Holy Synod on his visits to Lebanon, Albania, Italy, Serbia and Armenia.

20.03.2025

DECR chairman presents Patriarchal award to Primate of Armenian Apostolic Church

18.03.2025

DECR Chairman meets with Primate of Armenian Apostolic Church

17.03.2025

DECR chairman congratulates Archbishop Joani of Tirana and All Albania on his election as Primate of Albanian Orthodox Church

16.03.2025

Session of the commission for international cooperation of the Russian Presidential Council for Interaction between Religious Organizations takes place.

12.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates the Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral

09.03.2025

Meeting of the Council of the Christian Interconfessional Advisory Committee has been held

28.02.2025

Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk participates in Patriarchal Liturgy in Belgrade

26.02.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill speaks on the phone with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

25.02.2025

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije receives Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk

25.02.2025

DECR Chairman tells participants of the meeting at Nizhny Novgorod seminary about external contacts of the Russian Orthodox Church

22.02.2025

Rector of St George Church at Russia’s Embassy in Prague awarded the Order of Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles

20.02.2025

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب