Four Bishops of the Russian Church Celebrate the Divine Liturgy in Havana, where the First Church of the Moscow Patriarchate is Being Built

On 27 March 2005, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the building of the former Catholic church, where the museum is situated now. Among the participants were Bishop Feofan of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz, Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria, Bishop Theodosy of Tambov and Michurinsk and Bishop Mark of Yegorievsk, Vice-Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Among those who attended the service were Metropolitan Athenagoras of Panama and South America (Patriarchate of Constantinople) and Bishop Michael of Boston (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia).

Russian bishops arrived in Cuba to participate in the international conference on ‘Latin America in the 21^st century: Universalism and National Identity’ held in the framework of the World Public Forum ‘Dialogue of Civilizations’.

Concelebrating with the bishops were Archimandrite Zaccheus (Wood), representative of the Orthodox Church in America at the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and Hieromonk Markell (Fanyshev), Rector of the parish of the Moscow Patriarchate in Havana. After reading from the Gospel Bishop Mark of Yegorievsk delivered a sermon, in which he spoke about spiritual meaning and significance of the second week of Lent.

Bishop Feofan of Stavropol and Vladykavkaz addressed the worshippers after the Divine service. He thanked everyone who renders assistance to building a Russian Orthodox church in Cuba. Bishop Feofan expressed special thanks to A.V. Dmitriev, Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Russia in Cuba, who also prayed at the Liturgy, and to the members of the Russian Orthodox community. Bishop Feofan is convinced that the Russian Orthodox church in Cuba will be a new symbol of the long standing friendship between the Russian and Cuban people.

After the Divine service the high guests visited the church of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and took part in the prayer service celebrated on the occasion of the Independence Day of Greece.

The Orthodox clergymen visited the place, where the Russian Orthodox church will be built, and offered up their prayers. The construction works will begin in July 2005.

The Cuban authorities attach importance to the building of this church, considering it ‘the tribute to the long-lasting friendship between the Cuban and Russian people’. They supported the idea of building the first church of the Russian Orthodox Church in Cuba over a year ago and allotted a plot of land near Havana bay on the crossroads of San Pedro and Santa Clara streets.

The foundation of the Russian church dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was laid in the historical center of Havana on 14 November 2004. Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate consecrated the foundation stone. Laid in the foundation of the church were stones from the holy places of Russia: the Laura of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius, St. Daniel’s Monastery, Novospassky Monastery, Zachatievsky and Novodevichy Convents, Cathedral of the Kazan Icon and of the Protecting Veil on Red Square, and the church of the Protecting Veil of the Moscow Theological Academy. The capsule with the diploma signed by Metropolitan Kirill and Head of the Cuban state Fidel Castro was also laid in the foundation of the church.

Now Hieromonk Markell (Fanyshev), Rector of the Russian Orthodox community, who will work in the church in Havana, conducts Divine services for compatriots living in Cuba in the domestic chapel at the Russian Trade Representation.

The Orthodox community in Cuba has existed for three years and amounts to two thousand people. Most of them are immigrants from Russia and former USSR republics, who are now permanents residents of the island, and foreign diplomats and specialists.

‘We consider the building of the Russian church in Havana as a new important step in the development of long standing friendly relations between Russia and Cuba’, said bishop Mark of Yegoirievsk.