Orthodox Churches

Patriarch Alexy II commemorated in Tallinn

Metropolitan Cornelius of Estonia and Tallinn Mayor Edgar Savasaar have led a ceremony to unveil a statue of Russian Patriarch Alexy II outside an Orthodox church being built in the Estonian capital.

"Building a monument to the late Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II in Tallinn is appropriate to do to acknowledge his contribution to the history of the Russian Orthodox Church in Estonia", Metropolitan Cornelius of Tallinn and All Estonia told the media.

Alexy was born in Estonia and spent 25 years in the post of Archbishop of Tallinn. In 1990, he was elected Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia and held this job until his death in 1998. In 2003, Patriarch Alexy laid down the foundation stone of the Tallinn church that now has statue in its precinct.

Source: pravoslavie.ru, the Voice of Russia

Primate of Russian Church leads celebrations in Moscow on occasion of 200th anniversary of Russia’s victory in Patriotic War of 1812

On 9 September 2012, the 14th week after Pentecost, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia led the celebrations in Moscow, marking the 200th anniversary of Russia’s victory in the Patriotic War of 1812.

Memorial prayer service for the victims of the terroristic attack on America in 2001

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America presided on September 11, 2012 at a memorial prayer service for the victims of the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and a prayer for the health and well being of their families and the survivors.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to visit Japan

On 14-18 September 2012, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will visit Japan. The visit is timed to the centenary of the demise of St Nicholas of Japan, Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Metropolitan Hilarion meets with Syrian delegation led by Supreme Mufti of Syria

On September 6, 2012, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, received a delegation of religious leaders from the Syrian Arab Republic. It included Sheikh Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun, Supreme Mufti of Syria, and Bishop Luke of Seidnaya (Orthodox Church of Antioch). They were accompanied by Syria’a Ambassador to Moscow Dr. Riad Haddad, and Mufti Farid Salman Khaidarov, chairman of the Council of Ulamas of the Russian Association of Islamic Accord (All-Russia’s Muftiate).

The DECR was represented by Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev secretary for the far abroad, and Deacon Dimitry Safonov of the DECR secretariat for the far abroad.

Metropolitan Hilarion welcomed the guests and conveyed them a greeting from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk celebrates Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Our Lady the Joy to All the Afflicted in San Francisco

On August 28, 2012, the Day of the Dormition of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, who is on a visit to the USA with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, led the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the Russian Church Outside Russia’s Cathedral of Our Lady the Joy to All the Afflicted in San Francisco.

Among his concelebrants were the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York; Metropolitan Jonah, the former primate of the Orthodox Church in America; Archbishop Cyril of San Francisco (ROCOR); Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA; Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West (Orthodox Church in America); and Bishop Theodosius of Seattle (ROCOR). Among the worshippers was Russia’s General Consul in San Francisco V. Vinokurov.