Home page News
Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk on pastoral visit to…

Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk on pastoral visit to dioceses of Vienna and Austria and Hungary

On November 28, 2015, Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk, administrator of the dioceses of Vienna and Austria and Hungary, arrived in Austria. He celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the church of the Nativity of John the Baptist in Innsbruck (Serbian Orthodox Church’s diocese of Austria and Switzerland). It was the first service to be held for the growing Russian parish in the city.

The prayers were said in the Church Slavonic and Serbian languages. After the service, Bishop Tikhon asked Father Alexander (Stolic) to convey Bishop Andrew of Austria and Switzerland (Serbian Orthodox Church) his gratitude for giving the Russian community in Innsbruck an opportunity to worship in that church on a regular bases. Bishop Tikhon also discussed with parish activists current problems involved in the registration of the Russian Orthodox community in the city and the date and agenda of the forthcoming parish assembly.

On November 29, the Day of St. Matthews, Bishop Tikhon celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Vienna. After the service, he met with parishioners in an informal atmosphere.

In the following days, Bishop Tikhon held several working meetings. On November 30, he had a talk with Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria (Patriarchate of Constantinople). They discussed the current situation in the Orthodox community in Austria and cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate’s diocese of Vienna and Austria and the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s diocese of Austria in information work and social service.

On December 1, Bishop Tikhon met with the Vienna Burgomaster Michael Häupl and Cardinal Christopher Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna and Primate of Austria. They discussed cooperation in the sphere of mass media and transfer of Catholic churches for organizing Orthodox parishes in Austria.

Later that day, Bishop Tikhon met with the Russian ambassador to Austria D. Lyubinsky. They discussed the development of Orthodox communities in Innsbruck, Graz and Linz as well as problems of security for the parishioners of St. Nicholas’s in connection with the increased terrorist threat in Europe.

On the same day, Bishop Tikhon met with the director of the Russian Center Culture and Science Center in Austria, Ms. T. Mishukovskaya, who informed him about the cultural and linguistic programs run by the center. They agreed to organize in 2016 joint activities for religious education including lectures, concerts of church music and Christmas and Easter events.

In the evening, Bishop Tikhon attended the Christmas dinner given by Austria’s Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann as part of the interreligious dialogue. He was presented to the chancellor by Cardinal Christopher Schönborn as the new representative of the Russian Church in Austria.

On December 2, Bishop Tikhon arrived in Hungary. He visited the Orthodox community in Heviz to inspect the site for the possible construction of a church and to see its draft design. Accompanied by the rector of the church under construction, Archpriest Nikolay Kim, Bishop Tikhon visited the Catholic church in which the Orthodox community celebrates twice a month.

After that, the hierarch held a working meeting with the Hunguest Hotels chain director general Istvan Hülvely to discuss the necessary conditions for a possible allocation of land for building an Orthodox church in Heviz. As a result of the meeting, Bishop Tikhon as administrator of the diocese was given a draft lease agreement for study and action.

On December 3, the eve of the Presentation of Our Lady to the Temple, Bishop Tikhon celebrated All-Night Vigil at the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh and on December 4 the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Dormition in Budapest. The service was held in the Church Slavonic, Greek and Hungarian languages. After the service, Bishop Tikhon held several meetings with the clergy and parishioners of the diocesan churches.

On December 5, Bishop Tikhon visited the church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Debrecen, 230 km from Budapest to serve the requiem service for the late Patriarch Alexy II who died seven years ago.

In continuation of his archpastoral visitation of the diocese of Hungary, Bishop Tikhon visited the church of St. George the Conqueror at Nyieregyhaza, 235 km north-west of Budapest. He inspected the church with its iconostasis designed by S. Ushakov and the parish library with its 800 books, with the oldest one dating to the late 17th century.

In the evening of December 5, Bishop Tikhon celebrated All-Night Vigil on the eve of St. Nicholas Day at the church of the Holy Trinity in Miskolc in the north east of Hungary. Addressing him after the service, Father Joseph Krank, rector of the church, expressed the wish that he may feel at home in Hungary where he is always awaited by his faithful. Speaking in response, Bishop Tikhon thanked the rector for the best wishes and, addressing the congregation, spoke about the power of faith in today’s world.

After the homily, the Sunday school children greeted the hierarch on the occasion of the feast. According to the Hungarian tradition observed on the St. Nicholas Day, Bishop Tikhon presented each child with a gift. After that, he visited the museum of Orthodox culture located in the territory of the church with its display of the 17th-19th century icons, vestments and vessels.

On December 6, Bishop Tikhon celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the church of St. Nicholas in Tokaj in the east of the country and led the celebrations marking its 225th anniversary. From 1733 to 1798, there was a Russian Tokaj Mission in the city for purchasing Tokaj wines for the imperial court. In 1790, the mission built a church of St. Nicholas there. Present at the service were the city mayor György Posta, Russia’s military attaché M. Vorobyev and representatives of the All-Great Cossack Don Host, who came for the celebrations.

After the service, which had been broadcast by local television, Bishop Tikhon gave praise to St. Nicholas at his icon and addressed the worshippers with a homily.

The administrator of the diocese also held several working meetings with the Tokaj mayor and representatives of the Russian embassy in Hungary and the Cossack Don Host.

Share:
Congratulations of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to the President of Turkey on his 70th birthday

26.02.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill's condolences in connection with the murder of the monks of the Ziquala Abo Monastery in Ethiopia

24.02.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the XII Christmas Parliamentary Meetings at the Federation Council of the Russian Federation

23.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: Patriarch of Constantinople is not a free man

07.01.2024

Christmas Message from Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Rus’

06.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill had phone conversation with Metropolitan Ioann of Belgorod and Stary Oskol

02.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expresses condolences over deadly earthquake in northwest China

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulates Mr Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on his re-election as President of Egypt

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill welcomes the opening of an exhibition dedicated to the decoration of the Church of St Sava in Belgrade

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presides over jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia

07.12.2023

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia

07.12.2023

Patriarchal greetings on the occasion of 60th anniversary of the Diocese of Vienna and Austria

26.11.2023

Primate of Russian Church presents historic miracle-working Kazan Icon of the Mother of God to the faithful and celebrates Liturgy in the Kremlin Dormition Cathedral

04.11.2023

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ to the participants of the World Conference of Compatriots Living Abroad

01.11.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill met with the Primate of the Assyrian Church of the East

31.10.2023

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