On the feast of the Nativity of Christ Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates night Liturgy at the Church of ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow’ Icon of the Mother of God in Moscow
On the night of January 7, 2020, feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, celebrated the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom at the Church of the ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow’ Icon of the Mother of God in Bolshaya Ordynka Street in Moscow.
The Grand Compline and Matins were celebrated in the evening of January 6.
Concelebrating with the archpastor were clerics of the church. The Liturgical hymns were sung by the Moscow Synodal Choir conducted by the Honoured Artist of Russia Alexei Puzakov.
After the Litany of Fervent Supplication Metropolitan Hilarion lifted up a prayer for peace in Ukraine.
The Christmas Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to the Archpastors, Pastors, Deacons, Monks and Nuns and All the Faithful Children of the Russian Orthodox Church was read out by a cleric of the church, Hegumen Filaret (Tambovsky).
After the service Metropolitan Hilarion greeted the worshippers with the feast of the Nativity of Christ, saying in particular:
“No words can describe the joy of the Nativity of Christ – mysteriously it enters our hearts every time this radiant feast comes. We feel that Christ is near, that He is in our midst and inside us, and our whole life finds meaning. We feel that everything happens to us not incidentally, but because the Lord takes care of us. And we sense His presence in our life and in the life of our relatives and friends. We sense His power and His action in everything that happens to us.
“On the feast of the Nativity of Christ we ask the Lord that His holy and mighty power may always abide with us, that we may feel His presence among us all the time and that we may never forget that He is near. Christ expects us to be His faithful servants and bring to the world the message of salvation for the entire humanity and for every human being.
“I cordially greet all of you with this great feast. I greet those who are watching us now via their computers and cell phones in Ukraine, in America, in Australia, and in other countries. The feast of the Nativity of Christ is a feast for each and every one; it is a feast that passes beyond all boundaries, for Christ is always and unto ages of ages is one and the same.
“Let us be filled with this Christmas joy. Let us ask the Lord to always abide with us and to never leave us. And may the Heroine of today’s celebrations – the Most Holy Lady Theotokos – cover us with her precious omophorion, protecting us from every evil.
“I congratulate you on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. May God save you all!”
DECR Communication Service