International Orthodox Christian News

Among the Patriarch’s concelebrants were Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Yuvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, the Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate Metropolitan Climent of Kaluga and Borovsk, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldova, Archbishop Arseny of Istra, Archbishop Eugene of Vereya and Bishop Theognost of Sergiev Posad. Later that day the All-Night Vigil was celebrated by the Patriarch and concelebrated by Archbishop Arseny of Istra, Bishop Theognost of Sergiev Posad, Bishop Ambrose of Gatchina, Bishop Aristarch of Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk and Bishop Sergius of Ussuryisk in the same cathedral.

After the end of the service the Patriarch reminded the attending believers that the Wonderworker of Radonezh always takes care of those who resort to his prayerful and beneficial aid with faith and confidence. “We are all children of St. Sergius,” the Patriarch stressed.

On October 8, day of the feast, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Assumption Cathedral of the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra.

“Pilgrims from different parts of our motherland as well as from abroad have arrived here today,” said the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church after the service, stressing that this land is sanctified by the prayers of Reverend Sergius as well as by feats of many other Radonezh ascetics. Prior to a solemn prayer service on the cathedral square of the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, Patriarch Alexy congratulated the pilgrims on the good weather that had set in on that day in Sergiev Posad: “Today Heaven itself is favourable to us: a warm sun is shining over us, which happens quite rarely on the autumn day of St. Sergius’ memory.” The feast was concluded with the traditional address delivered by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia to the multitude of the faithful from the balcony of the patriarchal chamber.

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