Late Russian diplomats commemorated in the Holy Land

On 9 February 2018, Diplomat’s Day was celebrated at the Holy Apostle Peter and Righteous Tabitha Metochion in Jaffa. At the grave of the Vice-Consul of the Russian Empire, Vladimir Timofeyev, buried behind the church’s sanctuary, Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, celebrated requiem litiya for all the late diplomats who had served to the glory of their Homeland.

Among those who attended the service were diplomatic representatives of several countries to the State of Israel – Mr. Alexander Sheyin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation; Mr. Vladimir Skvortsov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus; and Mr. Dulat Kuanyshev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan; as well staff members of the diplomatic missions.

Prior to the requiem service, Mr. Sheyin addressed all those present, saying in particular, “Paying paying homage to our predecessors, we every time become aware of the indissoluble ties between generations. Drawing on their experience, we see it as a prop that helps us find responses to today’s challenges.”

After the service the participants in the ceremony laid wreaths and flowers to the grave.

That same day Archpriest Miroslav Vitiv, sacristan of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission’s metochion in Haifa – Church of the Holy Prophet Elijah – celebrated requiem service at the grave of the Vice-Consul of the Russian Empire, Nikolai Agapitov, who died in 1911 and was buried in the territory of the Russian plot. Among those who attended the service, during which prayers were lifted up for the repose of the souls of all late Russian diplomats, were Mr. Igor Popov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Haifa, and staff members of the Russian Consulate General.

On behalf of all staff members of the Russian diplomatic mission, Mr. Popov laid a wreath to the grave of Vice-Consul Nikolai Agapitov, Press Service of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission reports.

The Russian diplomats were also commemorated at the Testaccio non-catholic cemetery in Rome (Italy), where a ceremony took place on February 9, to pay homage to all those Russian diplomats who had died in the Italian land.

Opening addresses were delivered by Mr. A. Grigoryev, Minister-Counsellor, and Mr. O. Osipov, director of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture. After that Hieromonk Amvrosy (Matsegora), sacristan of the Church of St. Catherine, celebrated requiem litiya. A wreath-laying ceremony followed, web-site of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine in Rome reports.

DECR Communication Service

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Late Russian diplomats commemorated in the Holy Land

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons