Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk leads celebrations in honour of 25th anniversary of Moscow Representation of Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia
DECR Communication Service, 19/12/2024
On 19th December 2024, the commemoration day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, and the patronal feast of St. Nicholas Church in Kotelniki – Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia – the festive divine service in St. Nicholas Church was celebrated by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, and Metropolitan Nifon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’.
The year 2024 marks the bicentenary of the consecration of St. Nicholas Church and the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Moscow Representation (Metochion) of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
Concelebrating with the archpastors were: Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), representative of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne, rector of St. Nicholas Church in Kotelniki; Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne; Archpriest Nikolai Lishchenyuk, DECR deputy chairman; Archpriest Boris Krivonogov, dean of the Chelyabinsk Diocese Episcopal Deanery; Archpriest Maxim Pervozvansky of the Church of the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste in Spasskaya Sloboda in Moscow; Hieromonk Nikon (Belavenets) of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God and of St. Zosimas Pustin (Hermitage) in the Alexandrov Diocese; Archpriest Christopher Hill of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine In-the-Fields in Moscow; Hieromonk Mitrofan (Matytsyn), warden of the Patriarchal Residence in the Moscow Monastery of St. Daniel; Priest Miron Kanteladze of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victory-Bearer in Gruziny in Moscow; as well as the Metochion clerics and other ordained guests.
Among those who attended the divine service were Mr Peter Priputen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic to the Russian Federation; Mr Jan Ondrejka, Chargé D'Affaires of the Czech Republic to the Russian Federation; as well as Mr Yaroslav Nilov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Labour, Social Policy and Veterans’ Affairs; Mr Valery Alexeyev, president of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations; and Ms Anna Gromova, chair of the Supervisory Board of the Foundation “Elizabeth-Sergei Educational Society.”
After the Litany of Fervent Supplication, Metropolitan Anthony lifted up the prayer for the Holy Rus’.
During the Liturgy, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, Metropolitan Anthony ordained Deacon Grigory Lyulyushin, cleric of St. Nicholas Church, to priesthood.
At the end of the service, the hierarchs and clergy offered prayers of praise to St. Nicholas before his icon.
After that, Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), rector of the Metochion, read out a message of greetings from His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. In his message, His Beatitude expressed heartfelt gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill for his kind and warm attitude to the Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
With the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav, Archimandrite Seraphim handed over to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk the Order of Prince Rastislav of Great Moravia, 2nd Class, awarded in consideration of his merits for the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
The Metiochion benefactor, Mr S.V. Antonov, received the Medal of St. Alexis Toth, 1st Class – an award of the Diocese of Michalovce and Košice of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk conveyed to all those present blessings and warm wishes from the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The DECR chairman congratulated Archimandrite Seraphim on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and thanked him for his work in strengthening fraternal ties between the two Local Orthodox Churches. Metropolitan Anthony also asked the rector to convey to His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav his gratitude for the high award.
As a memorable gift, the DECR chairman presented an altar cross to the Representation.
To commemorate their joint prayer on the day of celebration, Metropolitan Anthony presented to Archimandrite Seraphim a pectoral cross.
The hierarch also congratulated Rev. Grigory Lyulyushin on his priestly ordination.