The 160th anniversary of the house church was celebrated at the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem

DECR Communication service, 30.06.2024. 

On June 28, celebrations were held on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the consecration of the house church of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, dedicated to the Holy Martyr Queen Alexandra of Rome. With the blessing of His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine, the service in this church was led by Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, General Secretary of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The Archpastor was joined by Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev), Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Roman (Krasovsky), Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, Hegumen Nikon (Golovko), Deputy Head of the Mission, and the ыacristans of the REM metochions: church in the name of the Prophet of God Elijah in Haifa - Archpriest Miroslav Vitiv; church in the name of Righteous Tavifa in Jaffa - Archpriest Nicholas Zhdanov; church in the name of the Holy Forefathers in Hebron - Hieromonk Ambrosius (Ignatov); church at the site of the Baptism of the Lord on the Jordan - Hieromonk Matthew (Kozlov); Hieromonk Innocent (Bespalov), clergyman of the Gorno Nunnery in Ein Karem, Hierodeacon Amfilohiy (Mazur), clergyman of the Gethsemane Nunnery of Mary Magdalene (Russian Orthodox Church Abroad), Deacon Makary Petukhov, clergyman of the REM, and the clergy of the Fellowship of the Holy Sepulchure.

After the Divine Liturgy, which was celebrated in Greek and Church Slavonic, Archbishop Aristarchos addressed Archimandrite Vassian and the worshippers gathered in the church, saying, in particular: "By the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, who descended upon the holy disciples and apostles on the Day of Pentecost and upon us on this past feast, the Day of the Holy Spirit, and by the prayers of His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, today, on the 160th anniversary of the consecration of the Church of the Holy Martyr Queen Alexandra of Rome, we have celebrated the sacrament of the Liturgy, the Bloodless Sacrifice, the Divine Eucharist. We thank the Triune God for He has enabled us to become relatives of Christ in our body and blood, [allowed us] to be united with Him and with each other through His Blood as members of His body, which is the Church. He has granted us the gift of Eucharistic communion, which our Churches - the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Patriarchate of Moscow - guard as the apple of the eye".

"Keeping the unity of faith in the bond of peace and honouring the ecclesiastical traditions and institutions formed over the centuries, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and its Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre express their gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' for his interest in supporting the Holy Places and to the President of Russia, Mr Vladimir Putin, for his interest in supporting Christian identity, Christian presence and property in the Holy Land," the Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina added.

He praised the co-operation of Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeev), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, members and staff of the REM with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and wished "rich spiritual fruit to all the wards of the Mission for the praise of the Russian Church, all Orthodoxy and for the glory of our Triune God".

Archimandrite Vassian then read the congratulatory address of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', reports the REM website. A fraternal dinner was then held in the refectory of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission.