Department for External Church Relations
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The first divine service is held in Turkish Samsun for Russian-speaking faithful of the Moscow Patriarchate
On October 23, 2020, the first ever divine service was celebrated in Turkish Samsun for the Russian-speaking faithful of the Moscow Patriarchate living on the Black Sea cost in Turkey. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Rev. George Sergeyev, who is in charge of pastoral care for the Russian-speaking faithful in the Republic of Turkey.
After the service, Father George held a meeting with the parishioners. He told them about the life of the Moscow Patriarchate communities in Turkey and the present relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and Patriarchate of Constantinople. The meeting defined further plans for organizing regular divine services in the region, the Moscow Patriarchate official portal reports.
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The city of Samsun, known since the 7th century B.C. under the name of Amisous, was founded by the ancient Greeks as one of the Pontus colonies of on the Black Sea costs. During the prosecutions under Emperor Diocletian (284-305), St. Charitina of Amisus suffered martyrdom there. In the medieval times, the city was part of the Byzantine Empire, and after it was captured by crusaders in 1204 it became the second important city of the Trapezuntine Empire. In the 15th century, it finally moved to the Ottoman Empire. At present, there are some 2000 Russian-speaking residents living in this million strong city.
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