The 10th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia is marked by a solemn divine service at the Church of Christ the Savior

THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ENTHRONEMENT OF HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH ALEXY II OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA IS MARKED BY A SOLEMN DIVINE SERVICE AT THE CHURCH OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR

On June 10, the 10th anniversary of his enthronement, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the divine liturgy at the revived Church of Christ the Saviour, assisted by 70 bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church including the Holy Synod members and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches and over 400 clergy from Moscow and the Moscow region.

After the liturgy, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church with a host of concelebrants sang a thanksgiving, during which Metropolitan Filaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch for All Belarus, said a special prayer thanking God «for all the blessings He bestowed on His servant the Most Holy Patriarch Alexy».

Metropolitan Vladimir of St. Petersburg and Ladoga extended to His Holiness congratulations on behalf of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. He said, in particular that «Offering filial thanks to God the Giver of all good things today, we can see the good and very beneficial fruits of your sacrificial service. Your faithful children everywhere, inspired by the example of their Primate, are engaged in reviving church life in all its diversity, bearing witness by word and deed to the intransient beauty and truth of Orthodoxy». Metropolitan Vladimir noted that for many people the selfless service performed by the Primate of the Church became a sign of hope that hardships might be overcome.

His Eminence Vladimir also presented the Primate with a icon of Our Lady of Iveron to mark the coincidence of the Patriarchal name-day with the commemoration day of this icon and entrusted the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church to the prayerful intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God.

Metropolitan Sergiy of Solnechnogorsk, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate, announced that the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church decorated His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II with the Order of St. Prince Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles and presented the Primate with this high church award.

Hegumen Irinarch, member of the Moscow diocesan council, extended congratulations to His Holiness Alexy on behalf of the clergy in Moscow and present His Holiness with a pectoral icon.

Speaking in response, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy said in particular that «it is not through my efforts that the spiritual revival has been brought about, but through the mercy of God and the efforts of the entire Church». The Primate thanked God, his fellow archpastors, the clergy and all the church people for the assistance and support he enjoyed throughout the decade of his primatial ministry.