Members of the official delegation of the Orthodox Church in America to the Enthronement of the newly-elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia arrive in Moscow on Friday, January 30. Members of the delegation included Bishop TIKHON of Philadelphia, Bishop BENJAMIN of San Francisco, Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky of the Department of External Affairs and Archimandrite Zaccheaus of the St. Catherine Representation Church in Moscow. The hierarchs were greeted at the Domodedovo Airport by Archimandrite Zaccheaus and Priest Alexander Abramov of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Delegation of the Orthodox Church in America arrives in Moscow

The delegation stayed at the National Hotel across from the Kremlin along with delegations from the other Orthodox Churches of the world.

On Saturday, January 31, the hierarches were taken by Fr. Leonid to two parish churches close to the hotel. The Church of Ss. Cosmas and Damian is a very active inner city parish with a very active outreach to the poor. The parishioners, under the guidance of their very able shepherd, Fr. Alexander Borisov feed the hungry twice each week in the church itself. We also visited the Church of the Martyr Tatiana at Moscow University’s old campus. St. Tatiana’s had been converted into a theater after the Revolution and was recently returned to the Church. Fr. Maksim Kozlov has daily services for the students of the university and sees to their pastoral needs.

After paying our respects at the tomb of Patriarch Aleksei II at the Epiphany Cathedral, the delegation visited the Donskoy Monastery to venerate the relics of St. Patriarch Tikhon and the Danilov Monastery. Vigil was served that evening at the St. Catherine the Great Martyr in the Fields Representation Church. It happened to be the eve of Archimandrite Zaccheaus’ name day. The visiting OCA hierarchs were joined by Metropolitan Cornelius of Talin at the Vigil. A reception which included members of the Bulgarian delegation followed.

Sunday morning, February 1, the delegation left early for the enthronement Liturgy at Christ the Savior Cathedral. Patriarch KIRILL was joined by the Patriarch of Alexandria, THEODOROS; His Beatitude, Archbishop ANASTASIOS of Albania; His Beatitude SAVA of Poland; representatives from all the Orthodox Churches, and hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church and ROCOR. There were more than 300 hierarch serving that morning in addition to priests and deacons.

The Newly Enthroned Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia KIRILL His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia KIRILL

The Russian President and Prime Minister were present and came into the altar to witness the actual Rite of Enthronement. The Liturgy was beautifully sung by three choirs and the cathedral packed.

A grand banquet was held in the large banquet rooms under the cathedral. Greetings from the various churches were extended to the new patriarch. His Grace, Bishop TIKHON of Philadelphia greeted His Holiness on behalf of His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH and the Orthodox Church in America.

The festal banquet held in honor of His Holiness Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia The Patriarch thanks Bishop TIKHON for his remarks and the two exchange a kiss of peace

The next morning a Molieben was served in the ancient Church of the Dormition in the Kremlin. The guests were invited to the St. Andrew Throne Room of the Kremlin for a banquet with the Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev. The choir of the Stretensky Monatery sang during the banquet.

His Holiness Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia celebrates a molieben at Dormition Cathedral in the Kremlin

Bishop BENJAMIN and Bishop TIKHON visited the Church of the Resurrection where the icon “Rescuer of the Perishing” is to be found. The cathedral in Los Angeles is named for this icon.

Later that day the delegation was warmly received by His Holiness, Patriarch KIRILL. A letter of congratulation from our Metropolitan JONAH and the Orthodox Church in America was given to the new patriarch. And a walrus tusk, carved by an Alaskan Native artist, was presented as a gift from the Orthodox Church in America. The gift was intended to celebrate the connection between our two churches which began with the landing of Russian missionaries on Kodiak in 1794. The patriarch received the gift graciously and presented the delegation with a gift for Metropolitan JONAH.

His Holiness Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia together with OCA Delegation

In his remarks, His Holiness expressed his desire to strengthen the bonds between the Russian Church and the Orthodox Church in America. The Russian Church has watched with sorrow the recent difficulties of our Church, but rejoices in the outcome of our recent All American Council. And, His Holiness indicated he looked forward to the visit of Metropolitan JONAH this spring.

Note:  Some photos are courtesy of the Church of St Catherine the Great Martyr; please visit their website to read more about this historic occasion.