Metropolitan Kirill officiates the order of great consecration of the Church of St. Zinaida in Rio-de-Janeiro

On 19 February 2006, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, conducted the order of great consecration of the Church of St. Zinaida in Rio-de-Janeiro. Among his concelebrants were Metropolitan Platon of Argentina and South America, Rev. Pavel Feoktistov, rector of the church, Archpriest Dimitrios Nikolaidis (Patriarchate of Constantinople) and other clergymen of the Diocese of Argentine and South America.

Among those who prayed at the divine service were Russian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Brazil P. Turdenev, RF Consul General in Rio-de-Janeiro A. Labetsky with the spouse, and staff members of diplomatic representations of Russia and Byelorussia in Brazil.

After the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Kirill congratulated the parishioners and guests of the church on the important event in life of modern Russian Orthodoxy in Latin America – consecration of the church of St. Zinaida restored by the efforts of the rector and parishioners and with the DECR financial assistance.

Metropolitan Kirill conveyed all the present the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia and addressed the believers his archpastoral word.

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, Metropolitan Kirill handed over to Rev. Pavel Feoktistov the medal of St. Sergius.

After the divine service, archpastors and clergymen shared fraternal dinner.

• Metropolitan Kirill officiates the order of great consecration of the Church of St. Zinaida in Rio-de-Janeiro
• Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad accomplishes its visit in the Argentinean Republic
• Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad continues his visit to Latin America