Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Divine Liturgy in St. Nicholas Church in Tolmachy in Moscow

On 22 May 2006, the commemoration day of St. Nicholas, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the Divine Liturgy in St. Nicholas Church in Tolmachy at the Tretiakov State Gallery together with Archbishop Arseny of Istra. Praying at the service were general director of the Tretiakov Gallery V. Rodionov, staff and guests of the museum.

After the Divine Liturgy His Holiness address the worshippers. He said: ‘Today we celebrate the dedication day of St. Nicholas church. Being an integral part of the Tretiakov Gallery, the church takes spiritual care for its staff. Kept in the church at present is a great shrine of our land – the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God imbued with prayer. Our forefathers prayed before this icon in the years of trials, hardship and invasions. We believe that the Heavenly Queen preserved this church and the Tretiakov Gallery in the difficult years of the struggle against God in the 20^th century.’

‘We remember with gratitude all those who initiated this collection. We shall thank the Lord for all His mercies that He bestowed upon this treasure of the Russian culture during 150 years of its existence. We shall offer up our prayers to God, the Most Pure Mother of God and the Heavenly Patron of this church St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in prayer service’, His Holiness the Patriarch said.

His Holiness officiated the prayer service dedicated to the jubilee of the Gallery. The rector of St. Nicholas church archpriest Nikolai Sokolov and director of the Tretiakov Gallery V. Rodionov presented His Holiness with a cope of the Turin Shroud.

His Holiness awarded V.Rodionov with the Order of St. Andrew Rublev, 2^nd class, in consideration of his contribution to the development of cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Tretiakov Gallery. Church awards were conferred on some staff and benefactors of the Tretiakov Gallery. The leaders of the Gallery presented His Holiness the Patriarch with 300 copies of the jubilee album ‘Iconpainting in the Tretiakov Gallery’ to be distributed in the Theological schools and church libraries.