His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Arrives in Kazan

On 20 July 2005, the Primate of the Russian Church is to head the celebrations dedicated to the 450^th anniversary of the Diocese of Kazan dated for the feast of the Appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The Orthodox diocese with the see in Kazan was established in 1555 under Tsar Ioann the Terrible.

Today, the Diocese of Kazan includes over 160 parishes, eight monasteries, a theological seminary and a branch of the Orthodox St. Tikhon’s University for Humanities.

Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate, accompanies His Holiness in his primatial tour.

Among those who met His Holiness in Kazan were: Metropolitan Varnava of Cheboksary and Chuvashia, Metropolitan Valentin of Orenburg and Buzuluk, Archbishop Anastasios of Kazan and Tatarstan, Archbishop Varsonofy of of Saransk and Mordovia, Archbishop Ioann of Ioshkar-Ola and Mari, Archbishop Nikolai of Izhevsk and Udmurtia, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak, Archbishop Prokl of Simbirsk amd Melekess, Archbishop Sergy of Samara and Syzran, Archbishop Filaret of Penza and Kuznetsk, Bishop Longin of Saratov and Volsk, State Council Head Farid Mukhamedshin, City Mayor Kamil Iskhakov, clergy of the diocese, leadership of the region, political and public figures.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church concelebrating with diocesan archpastors and clergy will conduct an all-night vigil at 5.00 p.m. in the Kazan Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul.

On 21 July 2005, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy will meet with bishops of the dioceses situated in the territory of the Privolzhsky federal district.

Answering the question about peculiarities of this primatial visit, His Holiness the Patriarch said that the 1000^th anniversary of founding Kazan and the 450^th anniversary of establishing the Diocese of Kazan, celebrated this year, are very important for the Motherland and the Church.