Delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church concludes the visit to the Russian Orthodox Church

The delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which is led by His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, has left Moscow the capital of Serbia this morning. 

His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, director of the Department of Interchurch Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate; His Grace Bishop Antonije of Moravica, head of the Representation of the Serbian Patriarchate in Moscow; as well as Mr. Slavenko Terzic, ambassador of Serbia to the Russian Federation. 

Solemn Hierarchal Divine Liturgy in Minsk

Church celebrations in honor of 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia from Moscow and Kiev were transferred to Minsk, the capital of Belarus 

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia along with primates and heads of the delegations of the Local Orthodox Churches served on 29 July 2013 the Divine Liturgy at the ruins of Minsk ancient castle,  where the first church of this city was founded in XI century. Among participants there was His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch. 

PHOTO: Shrines of the Kiev Monastery of the Caves

Minsk: Memory of the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia along with prominent guests from the Local Orthodox Churches which participate in the celebration of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia, laid a wreath on the monument at the Victory square in Minsk, raised in  honor of the soldiers of the Soviet Army and guerrilla fighters who liberated Belarus from the conquerors during the Great Patriotic War.  In the center of the complex there is a 40-meter-high granite obelisk. In the underground of the Victory square there is a memorial hall in honor of the heroes of the Soviet Union who were killed in Belarus.

The Day of St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles marked by Divine Liturgy celebrated by heads and hierarchs of Local Orthodox Churches at Kiev Monastery of the Caves

Thousands of people congregated at the Kiev Monastery of the Assumption for the solemn liturgy to mark the commemoration day of the Holy Prince Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles, the Baptizer of Rus’.

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the cathedral square by heads of Local Orthodox Churches including Patriarchs Theodore II of Alexandria, Theophilos of Jerusalem and All Palestine, Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Iliya II of All Georgia, Irinej of Serbia, Neophyte of Bulgaria, Archbishop Chrisostomos II of New Justiniana and All Cyprus, Metropolitan Sava of Warsaw and All Poland, Metropolitan Tikhon of America and Canada and Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine. They were assisted by a great assembly of hierarchs representing Local Orthodox Churches.

President of Ukraine grants state awards to primates of Local Orthodox Churches

On Saturday, July 27 2013, at the Monastery of the Caves there was a meeting of President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych with primates of the Local Orthodox Churches, who came to Kiev on the celebration of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia

By a decree of the President of Ukraine for outstanding efforts towards strenghtening of Orthodoxy in the world, and on the occasion of the celebration of the 1025 anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus' in Ukraine, the order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the First Degree was granted to His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, His Beatitude Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodore, His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Teophilos, His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej, His Holiness Bulgarian Patriarch Neophit, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus, as well as Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland Sava and Metropolitan of All America and Canada Tikhon. President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych granted state awards to church dignitaries.