Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church visited churches of the Moscow Kremlin and the Intercession Monastery

The Holiest Patriarch of the Serbian Church, who is in the official visit to the Russian Orthodox Church, visited on 19 July 2013, visited cathedral churches and churches of the Moscow Kremlin.

The delegation of our Church toured the Cathedral church of the Dormition of Most Holy Theotokos, church of the Archangel and the Annunciation cathedral church, where they venerated the shrines, especially the saints of Moscow – Peter, John, Philip and Hermogenes. Among the shrines of the Kremlin, to the pleasant surprise of our delegation, there were preserved frescoes of Saint Simeon and Saint Sava, as well as Holy Prince Lazar, the martyr of Kosovo – all from XV and XVI century. Hence they testify to a great respect of two local Orthodox Churches which has lasted for centuries. The delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church had an extraordinary honor to fully get to know the magnificence of the famous Kremlin palace.

Later on His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, spent some time at the Annunciation stavropegial female monastery. At the monastery His Holiness was welcomed by abbess Teophania with sisterhood and the children who found their home in this monastery.

Since it is a female monastery, it takes care about homeless children, girls who are at the age between 3 and 15. 

They made a special musical program for the Serbian Patriarch, which deeply touched and impressed our delegation.

The Patriarch and the delegation venerated the relics of venerable Matrona of Moscow.

Following the veneration, our delegation also visited the church of the Resurrection of Christ, where mother Teophania said that Venerable Matrona of Moscow is not just venerated by Muscovites but also by pilgrims from all around the world.

At the end, for the memory of this visit, abbess Teophania presented an icon of Venerable Matrona of Moscow to our Patriarch, and Our Holiness granted her a Precious cross.

This visit ended with an agape feast and a concert.

photo: Deacon Aleksandar Sekulic; Moscow Patriarchate