Patriarch Irinej in skete of Saint Spyridon in North Hessen

On Saturday afternoon, on 2 December 2013 His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, accompanied by episcopal deputy protopresbyter-stavrophor protopresbyter-stavrophor Milan Pejic and protodeacon Damjan Bozic visited the hermit cell dedicated to the Holy Annunciation and Saint Justin of Celije at the skete of Saint Spyridon in Geilnau.

The abbot of the hermit cell and the skete, shiarhimandrite Vasilije (Grolimund) welcomed Serbian Patriarch along with the brotherhood, hieromonk Pajsije (Rauer) and monk Nilos, as well as many guests and friends of the hermit cell. The Patriarch firstly visited a chapel which is located within the object which was bought along with the land where is planned to build a monastery – skete. This chapel is dedicated to the Annunciation and Saint Justin of Celije. Schiarhimandrite Vasilije led Patriarch Irinej to the place where the church is going to be built. Now there is a plan, a permit of the city authorities, as well as the funds for the construction of the first Orthodox church in this part of Germany – North Hessen.

After the talks with brotherhood blessing of the land was held and installation of the cross was performed. Serbian Patriarch served with the concelebration of shiarhimandrite Vasilije, hieromonk Pajsije and protodeacon Damjan Bozic. Besides the Orthodox priests the rite was attended by vicar Bishop of Fulda Professor Dr. Karlheinz Diez, father Dr. Luccan Lamya (Apostolischer protonotar pralar), father Dr. Marian Blimel and Lutheran head for Fulda, pfarrer Karl Josef Gruber.

The chapel – hermit cell within the skete of Saint Spyridon, Bishop of Trimythous the Wonderworker, which is located in Gelnau, was founded in 1989. Shiarhimandrite, then hieromonk Vasilije (Grolimund), Swiss by nationality, after studies in Greece, came to the Diocese of Middle Europe, with the blessing of Metropolitan Amfilohije, then Bishop of Banat. The skete was founded with the blessing of Bishop Lavrentije. Then father Vasilije was appointed its administrator along with Orthodox German Andreas Raurer, now hieromonk Pajsije. Before the Easter 1990, the first chapel dedicated to Saint Spyridon, Bishop of Trimythous the Wonderworker was built.

Source: Diocese of Middle Europe