Home page News
Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates at Moscow represe…

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates at Moscow representation of Orthodox Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia

On December 19, 2016, the commemoration day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the St. Nicholas Church-in-Kotelniki – the Moscow representation of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, which marked on that day its 17th anniversary.

Metropolitan Hilarion was assisted by Metropolitan Niphon of Pilippople, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Archbishop Michael of Prague and the Czech Lands, Bishop Polikarp of Belogradchik (Bulgarian Orthodox Church), Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), representative of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and the clergy of the church.

Present at the service were Mr. V. Remek, the Czech Republic’s Ambassador to Russia, Mr. I. Derzo, councilor of the Slovak Republic embassy, and Mr. V. Alekseyev, president of the Foundation of the Unity of Orthodox Nations.

Following the liturgy, a praise was sung at the miracle-working icon of St. Nicholas.

Then Archimandrite Seraphim addressed Metropolitan Hilarion expressing gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia for having blessed His Eminence’s celebration at the St. Nicholas church on the day of its patronal feast and 17th anniversary as representation to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

Archbishop Michael read out a congratulatory message from His Beatitude Rostislav, Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, recalling the history of the establishment of the representation of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia by Patriarch Alexy and Metropolitan Dorotej in the Grand Consecration of the St. Nicholas Church-in-Kotelniki in November 1999. Metropolitan Dorotej gave to the St. Nicholas Church a part of the relics of St. Ludmila (a part of the relics of Vyacheslav too was brought to the church later), thus strengthening the spiritual ties between not only the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of the Czech Land and Slovakia but also the fraternal Slavic nations.

Metropolitan Hilarion congratulated the congregation on the patronal feast on behalf of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and delivered an archpastoral homily:

‘Today we are celebrating the memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, whose miracle-working icon is here, in this holy church. It can be said without exaggeration that St. Nicholas is the most venerated saint not only in the Russian Orthodox Church but perhaps throughout the world Orthodoxy and even the entire Christendom. A few days ago I happened to be at the relics of St. Nicholas in the Italian city of Bari, in which they have lied in rest since in 11th century, and I could see at firsthand how ardently this saint is honoured in all the world. It is not accidental that in liturgical texts on the feast of the translation of St. Nicholas’s relics from Myra in Lycia to the city of Bari it is stated that he unites East and West. His intercession has united people as through centuries they in their troubles have always received speedy help through the saint’s heavenly intercession.

‘We know that St. Nicholas is a speedy helper as his help is not long in coming. Once we turn to him with prayer, we see that it is heard and before long we receive from the wonderworker what we asked for. May be, it is this special secret of the saint’s daring before God’s throne that has gained him universal glory in East and West’.

Metropolitan Hilarion also spoke about the great number of churches dedicated to St. Nicholas in the Russian Orthodox Church: ‘It would be interesting to figure out the number of churches and side altars dedicated to St. Nicholas in Moscow and in the whole Russian Orthodox Church. I think we will count more than one thousand. All this points to the fact that St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is really a special saint to whom we turn every day, for we can feel his help and his heavenly intercession.

‘We honour St. Nicholas as a rule of faith and image of humility. We learn from him Christian humility and at the same time daring that enabled him to defend so zealously the Orthodox faith against the false teaching of the Arians. We should also emulate the saint in steadfast commitment to the Orthodox faith and its defense as much as we can. At the same time however, we should be an image of meekness, an image of humility, emulating the saint in every virtue that we know of from his Life’.

Metropolitan Hilarion also greeted Metropolitan Niphon on the occasion of his recent anniversary and the high decoration awarded him by Patriarch Kirill in recognition of exceptional services he rendered for the ,long years of his life in Moscow as representative of the Orthodox Church of Antioch.

His Eminence also addressed himself to Archbishop Michael of Prague and the Czech Lands, wishing him God’s help in his important service as representative of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia in Moscow.

Greeting Bishop Polykarp, Metropolitan Hilarion asked him to convey best wishes of good health and peace to Patriarch Neophytos of Bulgaria.

With the blessing of Patriarch Kirill, Metropolitan Hilarion presented Mr. M. Yu. Abramov, founder of the Museum of Russian Icon in Moscow and president of the Bonorg company, with the Russian Orthodox Church’s jubilee medal issued in memory of the 1000th anniversary of the demise of the Holy Prince Vladimir.

DECR Communication Service

Share:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the Chairman of the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan

22.11.2024

Phone conversation took place between the Primates of Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches

17.11.2024

Telephone conversation held between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Primate of the Malankara Church of India

01.11.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the VIII World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad

30.10.2024

Order of Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk by Patriarch Kirill

24.10.2024

Primate of the Russian Church celebrates Divine Liturgy in the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra on the commemoration day of St. Sergius of Radonezh

09.10.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers and Akathistos hymn to St. Sergius in the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

07.10.2024

Message from the Primate of the Russian Church to His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia in connection with blasphemous act on the ruins of ancient Ulpiana

14.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates on the feast of the 300th anniversary of the transfer of relics of St.Alexander Nevsky to St. Petersburg

12.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates All-night Vigil at the Christ the Savior Cathedral on the eve of Transfiguration

18.08.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' met with the Ambassador of India to Russia

30.07.2024

Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Awa III: Ukrainian government’s support for schism and persecution of the major canonical Church is a religious pogrom against the faithful Orthodox Christians of that country

24.07.2024

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church consecrates the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in the city of Tver.

21.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Liturgy at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius on the commemoration day of the saint

18.07.2024

The Primate of the Russian Church celebrates All-night Vigil at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

17.07.2024

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