Department for External Church Relations
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A representative of the Russian Orthodox Church concelebrates with His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East
DECR Communication Service, 05.01.2026.
On January 4, the 30th Sunday after Pentecost, which is the Sunday of the Holy Fathers, the last Sunday before the Nativity of Christ, and the Sunday before the feast of the Epiphany according to the new style, Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ to the Antiochian Patriarchal Throne, took part in Matins and the Divine Liturgy at the Church of St. Paisios the Athonite in Jaramana near Damascus at the invitation of His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Great Antioch and All the East.
His Beatitude Patriarch John X officiated at the divine service and was assisted by Bishop Romanos of Seleucia, Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Antioch; Bishop Moses of Dara; Bishop Arsenios of Hierapolis; Archimandrite Paul (Orduluoğlo), elected and nominated as a Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop with the title ‘Bishop of Tarsus’; Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev); Archimandrite Parthenios (Allati); and the parish clergy, the website of the Metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Damascus reports.
After the communion hymn, His Beatitude Patriarch John delivered a sermon on the feast.
Archimandrite Philip warmly thanked His Beatitude Patriarch John X for blessing Bishop Moses of Larissa to celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church on its patronal feast day and said a few words about the schedule for the Nativity services according to the old style to be celebrated at the Church of the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God‑Bearer in Damascus and the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Jal el-Dib, northern Beirut.
His Beatitude Patriarch John X asked Archimandrite Philip to convey his Primatial blessing to the parishioners of all the Metochions of the Russian Orthodox Church in Syria.
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