His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Divine Liturgy at Christ the Saviour Cathedral marking 12th anniversary of his enthronement

On February 1, 2021, the day of the 12th anniversary of his enthronement, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, dressed in the enthronement vestments, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow.

Concelebrating were Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Patriarchal vicar for the Moscow diocese; Metropolitan Dionisy of Voskresensk, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate, the first Patriarchal vicar for Moscow; Bishop Foma of Pavlovsky Posad, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s administrative secretariat; Bishop Foma of Sergyiev Posad, abbot of the Lavra of the Holy Trinity; Archpriest Mikhail Ryazantsev, sacristan of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral; Archimandrite Alexy (Turilov), private secretary of His Holiness; and Moscow clergymen.

Attending the festive divine service were Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the State Duma Committee n international affairs; Sergei Gavrilov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on development of civil society, public and religious organizations, president of the Interparliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy; Vladimir Resin, State Duma deputy, advisor to the Moscow Mayor; construction advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and curator of the Programme for construction of Orthodox churches in Moscow; and Mikhail Ivanov, chairman of the supervisory board of All-Russian public movement ‘Orthodox Russia’

Patriarchal choir of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral directed by Ilya Tolkachev sung liturgical hymns.

Patriarchal divine service was broadcast live on ‘Soyuz” and “Spas” TV channels and on Patriarchia.ru, official portal of the Russian Orthodox Church.
During the Litany of Fervent Supplication the coronavirus deliverance prayers were lifted up and special petitions for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill were recited.
After the litany, Metropolitan Juvenaly offered up a prayer for the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia lifted up a prayer read at the time of baneful pestilence.
Bishop Foma of Sergiyev Posad delivered a sermon before Holy Communion.
After the Liturgy, Metropolitan Juvenaly read out a welcoming address to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill from the members of the Holy Synod and presented him with an icon of the Holy and Right-Believing Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky whose 800th birthday will be celebrated in 2021.

The Primate of the Russian Church addressed the worshippers with a primatial homily, saying in particular: “All ordained persons know that the day of ordination is probably the most important one along with their birthday, but for monks and especially for bishops the day of consecration surpasses birthday because God’s Providence rests great responsibility upon those called to episcopal ministry which is impossible to perform without God’s grace bestowed upon them by the prayers of the faithful.

“Indeed, it is impossible to carry the cross of ministry, especially the ministry of Patriarch, without prayerful support of bishops, clergymen and laypeople. One can save his soul in solitude, in schema, but to bear responsibility for the salvation of the people of God is impossible in seclusion. Self-reliance is not enough. I can say in all modesty that whatever I have succeeded in my ministry has been granted to me by the grace of God through the prayers of archpastors, clergymen and all our Orthodox believers.”

The presentation of the Patriarchal awards followed. Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna was awarded the Order of Glory and Honour, 1st class, in consideration of his decades-long zealous archpastoral labours and in connection with his 85th birthday. His Holiness greeted Metropolitan Juvenaly and presented him with an icon of the Mother of God.

Metropolitan Dionisy was awarded the Order of St. Sergius, 2nd class, in consideration of his zealous archpastoral labours and in connection with his 45th birthday.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill thanked those attending the divine service for coming to church and common prayers.

Many people wishing to come and congratulate the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church on the anniversary of his enthronement could not have done it because of the entrance restrictions placed due to the precarious epidemiological situation. Thanksgiving prayers for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Russian Church which he is leading were offered up at churches and monasteries of all dioceses of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Patriarchal Press Service/
DECR Communication Service

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His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Divine Liturgy at Christ the Saviour Cathedral marking 12th anniversary of his enthronement

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