Easter services celebrated in Turkish cities

On 20^th April, the Feast of the glorious Resurrection of Christ, the Paschal Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen located in the territory of the summer residence of Russia’s Consulate General in Istanbul. Officiating at the divine service was Priest Georgy Sergeyev, responsible for providing pastoral guidance to the Russian Orthodox Church’s flock in the territory of the Republic of Türkiye.

Attending the Liturgy were over 200 people, including the Russian Orthodox Church’s faithful from the cities of Bursa and Kocaeli. During the Litany of Fervent Supplication, the special prayer for the Holy Rus’ was read.

After the divine service, Father Georgy read out the Paschal Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and greeted all the worshippers. A festive repast followed.

On 19^th and 20^th April, with the blessing of Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, Priest Yevgeny Dolya, a cleric of the Kolomna Diocese, celebrated the Holy Saturday and Easter divine services at the Russian House in Ankara.

Among those who attended the divine service on the feast day were Mr Alexei Yerkhov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Türkiye; Mr Anatoli Glaz, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Türkiye; as well as staff members of the two countries’ embassies and other Russian institutions abroad, and their families. Over 120 Russian citizens residing in Turkey prayed at the service. More than 100 people partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

On 19^th April, an Easter fair was organized in Ankara with the assistance of the Russian House. Many people visited it despite the bad weather. Rev. Yevgeny Dolya blessed Easter eggs and cakes, and the head of the Russian House, Mr Alexander Sotnichenko, congratulated the guests on the coming Feast of the Resurrection of Christ.

On 19^th April, the Moscow Patriarchate’s parish in Antalya in collaboration with Jiraf Book/Coffee organized an Easter charity fair in the city. Those who attended the fair could learn more about the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ and enjoy Easter treats. Performing for the guests was Parlak yıldız dance group of the Russian Association of Antalya.

On Holy Saturday and Easter, the divine services were celebrated in Antalya by Priest Alexy Golovin, who takes pastoral care of the local Russian-speaking flock, bringing together over 500 people, including those who came from Marmaris and Fethiye.

In the city of Alanya, the Paschal services were celebrated by Priest Dimitry Bogatyr, who takes pastoral care of the local Russian-speaking flock. Over 180 people took Communion.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Hieromonk Pamfil (Osokin) from the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra arrived in Izmir to celebrate the Easter service. It was organized with the assistance of Mr Andrei Ponomarev, president of the Solzhenitsyn Russian Society in Izmir.

The Paschal Liturgy took place in the Church of St. Bucolus of Smyrna in Izmir, which is under the supervision of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The service was attended by over 120 Russian-speaking Orthodox Christians from Izmir and neighbouring cities and towns, as well as from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia.

On Easter night, Hieromonk Pallady (Bystrov), coenobite of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra, celebrated the divine service for the employees of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, which is currently under construction. More than 170 people prayed at the Divine Liturgy.

On 22^nd April, Bright Tuesday, Rev. Georgy Sergeyev celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church who live in the city of Eskişehir.

The next day, Bright Wednesday, the Paschal divine service took place in Samsun – a city on the Black Sea coast. It was celebrated by Father Georgy Sergeyev and brought together for prayer over 30 people. Most of them partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.