Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe leads patronal celebrations at the Monastery of the Exaltation of the Cross in Roveredo, Switzerland

DECR Communication Service, 28/09/2026

On 27^th September 2026, Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, Metropolitan Mark of Korsun and Western Europe, Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe, led patronal celebrations at the Monastery of the Exaltation of the Cross, located near Lugano in Switzerland.

Con-celebrating the Divine Liturgy with His Eminence were Schema-Archimandrite Gabriel (Bunge), Hegumen of the Holy Cross Monastery, and its ordained coenobites – Hieromonk Eusebius (Reis) and Hieromonk Silouan (Blachon), as well as Hieromonk Silouan (Yaroslavtsev), Rector of the Church of Saints Sergius, Seraphim and Vincent in Milan, and Deacon Rustik Chopenok of the Church of St. Ambrose in Milan, website of the Korsun Diocese reports.

After the Prayer Behind the Ambo, the Troparion to the Exaltation of the Cross – “O Lord, save Your people” – was sung, with the altar cross being carried around the monastery and then placed on an icon stand in the middle of the church.

In his homily that followed, the Patriarchal Exarch said, in particular, that the Saviour expects the faithful to show loyalty to Him and determination to carry their cross, which is far smaller and lighter than the Cross of Christ. “Each of us has our own cross to bear, given to us by the Lord according to our powers,” Metropolitan Mark added, “And the most important thing for us is to try to remain faithful to Christ, not to betray Him, not to come down from our cross. It is essential that we follow Christ in cross-bearing, as our Saviour calls us to do.”

After the Liturgy, His Eminence talked with the abbot and brethren of the monastery and with numerous pilgrims who had come to the abode to take part in the patronal celebrations.

The day before, in the evening of 26^th of September, Metropolitan Mark of Korsun and Western Europe, administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate’s parishes in Italy, had celebrated the All-Night Vigil at the Church of Saints Sergius, Seraphim and Vincent in Milan. Hieromonk Silouan (Yaroslavtsev) and clerics of the Italian parishes were his con-celebrants.

During the All-Night Vigil, at the conclusion of the Great Doxology, Metropolitan Mark brought the Cross of Christ, adorned with flowers, to the centre of the church and performed the rite of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross. He performed five elevations of the Cross, facing East, South, West, North and East again. During each of the elevations, a special petition was read by a deacon, to which a choir responded with singing “Lord, have mercy” multiple times. In accordance with the ancient Jerusalem tradition, priests washed the elevated Cross with rose water.

After the Dismissal and the First Hour, the Patriarchal Exarch delivered a homily.

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Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe leads patronal celebrations at the Monastery of the Exaltation of the Cross in Roveredo, Switzerland

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons