Department for External Church Relations
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Macedonian Church delegation begins pilgrimage to holy places of the Russian Orthodox Church
DECR Communication Service, 12.10.2025.
On October 7, a delegation fr om the Macedonian Orthodox Church–Archdiocese of Ohrid arrived in Moscow for a pilgrimage at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’. The delegation includes Metropolitan Petar of Prespa and Pelagonia, Bishop Nikolaj of Velichi, vicar of the Diocese of Prespa and Pelagonia, and hieromonk Athanasius (Arsosski), head of the Publications Department of the Diocese of Skopje.
On the day of their arrival in Moscow, the guests fr om the Macedonian Orthodox Church–Ohrid Archdiocese visited the stavropegic Convent of the Intercession. Accompanied by Abbess Feofania (Miskina), they venerated the relics of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow, visited the convent museum, and got acquainted with the life and work of the orphanage.
In the evening on the same day, the delegation visited the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and the churches of the stavropegic Conception Convent wh ere they examined the exposition of its history in the underground museum.
On October 8, on the commemoration day of St. Sergius, Abbot of Radonezh and Wonderworker, members of the Macedonian Orthodox Church–Archdiocese of Ohrid delegation concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and hierarchs and clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Cathedral of the Dormition at the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra. Their meeting with the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church took place in the cathedral’s sanctuary. Metropolitan Petar and his suite venerated the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh resting at the Lavra Cathedral of the Trinity and visited the Moscow Theological Academy, wh ere they were given a tour around the Museum of Church art ‘Church-Archaeological Cabinet.’
On October 9, Metropolitan Petar of Prespa and Pelagonia and his suite visited St. Andrew’s Stavropegic Monastery, where they were warmly welcomed by hegumen Dionisy (Shlenov), the abbot of the monastery and head of the Postgraduate Studies at the Moscow Theological Academy, who told them about the history of the monastery and its churches. The guests visited the Synodal Library of the Russian Orthodox Church named after His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II and saw the exhibition dedicated to the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers, “The Tsar’s Family. Ascent.” Hegumen Dionisy provided detailed information to the Macedonian church delegation on the scholarly, theological, and publishing work conducted under his supervision at the monastery.
In the evening of October 9, Metropolitan Petar, Bishop Nikolaj and hieromonk Athanasius met with Ms. Jana V. Galchenko, deputy general director of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Pilgrims Centre, and Mr. Igor A. Ryzhov, senior specialist of the Centre. Discussed at the meeting that took place at the Pokrovskaya Hotel were priorities and prospects for the development of cooperation in the field of Orthodox pilgrimage between the Russian and Macedonian Orthodox Churches.
Accompanying the guests during their stay in Moscow was Andrei Yu. Khoshev, a staff member of the DECR Secretariat for Inter-Orthodox Relations.
On October 10, the guests departed for St. Petersburg.
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