Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk leads patronal celebrations at Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church in America
DECR Communication Service, 07/12/2025
On 7th December 2025, the commemoration day of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine and patronal feast of the Church of St. Catherine In-the-Fields – Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church in America –the festive Divine Liturgy was celebrated in St. Catherine’s Church by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, Representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’; Archbishop Irénée of Ottawa and Canada (Orthodox Church in America); and Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of South of the Orthodox Church in America.
Among their concelebrants were: Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov, Secretary to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ for the City of Moscow, Dean of the Central District of the City of Moscow Diocese; Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, Representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne, Rector of St. Catherine’s Church; Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), Representative of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne; Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR Deputy Chairman; Archpriest Christopher Hill, cleric of St. Catherine’s Church; Priest Miron Kanteladze, cleric of the Moscow Church of the Great Martyr George the Victory-Bearer in Gruziny; as well as other local clerics and ordained guests.
Prior to the Liturgy, Metropolitan Anthony performed the blessing of the church’s new iconostasis.
Among those who attended the divine service was Mr Alexander Avdeyev, who had served as Russian Ambassador to the Vatican from 2013 to 2023.
After the Litany of Fervent Supplication, Metropolitan Anthony said a prayer for the Holy Rus’.
During the Liturgy, some of the prayers were read in the English, Georgian and Czech languages.
After the Prayer Behind the Ambo, prayers of praise were offered to the Holy Great Martyr Catherine before her icon. The prayer to the saint was read by Metropolitan Anthony.
Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk warmly greeted the archpastors and clergymen who took part in the patronal celebrations. He also asked the DECR chairman to convey gratitude to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church for the care His Holiness showed for the Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church in America.
Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth read out a message of greetings from His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada.
Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk conveyed to all those present blessings and warm wishes from His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’, and thanked Father Daniel Andrejuk for his work aimed at strengthening ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in America.