Department for External Church Relations
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Celebrations marking the millennium of the blessed demise of the Baptizer of Russia take place in metropolia of Primorye
On 26 September 2015, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, arrived in Vladivostok. This year permanent members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church take part in the diocesan celebrations marking the millennium of the blessed demise of the Holy Grand Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles.
At the Vladivostok airport Metropolitan Hilarion and his suite were met by Metropolitan Veniamin of Vladivostok and Primorye; Bishop Innokenty of Ussuriysk, a vicar of the Vladivostok diocese; clergy and laypeople of the metropolia of Primorye.
On 27 September 2015, the Feast of the Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Creating Cross of the Lord, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God in Vladivostok. Concelebrating with him were Metropolitan Veniamin of Vladivostok and Primorye, Bishop Innokenty of Ussuriysk, Bishop Nikolai of Nakhodka and Preobrazheniye, Bishop Gury of Arsenyev and Dalnegorsk, and clergy of the metropolia of Primorye.
After the Liturgy Metropolitan Veniamin greeted the DECR chairman, saying in particular, “We thank you, Vladyka, for undertaking such a difficult journey. Of course, you are used to covering long distances, for you have visited so many places on our planet already, but this is your first visit to Vladivostok. We, citizens of this city, greet you and thank you for the effort, equal to that of the Apostles, which you have made in order to come to us.”
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk conveyed to all those present the blessings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, saying in particular:
“Today we glorify Our Lord Jesus Christ Who endured suffering even unto death to save us from sin and grant us life everlasting. We praise the Most Holy Mother of God as our heavenly intercessor and protectress. We praise St Helen, Equal-to-the-Apostles, and the Holy Emperor Constantine who found the Cross of Christ and elevated it above the whole universe. We glorify our new Constantine, the Holy Grand Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, the Splendid Sun of the Russian land, and pray to him that he may at all times help us, our children and grandchildren, and the whole Holy Rus’ to preserve the Orthodox faith.
“This faith have always granted protection and strength to our people and saved us from invasions. We believe that it will save our homeland in the future as well and strengthen the Russian people so that we could live a pious life and inherit the Heavenly Kingdom.”
In the evening of the same day, a concert took place at the Primorsky State Opera and Ballet Theatre to mark the celebrations on the occasion of the millennium of the blessed demise of the Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles. Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk addressed all the participants and guests with a welcoming speech.
The chairman of the Department for External Church Relations is accompanied on his visit by Mr. Dmitry Petrovsky, a DECR staff member, and Mr. Alexander Yershov, secretary to the DECR chairman.
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