Russian chapel consecrated at Syrian airbase

The St. George chapel was consecrated with Patriarch Kirill's blessing at the Khmeimim Syrian airbase where Russian air forces are based, the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church reported on Thursday.

A delegation from the Moscow Patriarchate recently visited the group of Russian troops in Syria. An icon with a particle of St. George's relics was transferred to the chapel. Over 500 servicemen prayed at the Divine Liturgy, each of them receiving a small icon of St. George.

Two Divine Liturgies, 18 prayer services and a Cross procession with the St. George icon around the airbase were held during the delegation's visit to Syria. Eight servicemen were baptized. Five pastoral hours and twelve group conversations were held, with about a thousand servicemen participated in them. There were also meetings with the staff of the Black Sea Fleet warship Pytlivy and the Baltic Sea Fleet warship Yaroslav Mydry.

Source: Interfax