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Russian Orthodox Primate Celebrates Liturgy in the Nativity Cathedral in Riga

28.05.2006 · Архив 2005-2009, События  

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the the Nativity Cathedral in Riga on 28 May 2006 as a part of his primatial visit to Latvia. He concelebrated with Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, Metropolitan Alexander of Riga and All Latvia, Metropolitan Cornelius of Tallinn and All Estonia, Archbishop Kirill of Yaroslavl and Rostov, Bishop Feognost of Sergiev Posad, Bishop Feodosy of Tambov and Michurinsk, Bishop Mark of Yegoryevsk.

The service was attended by the Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga with her spouse, Premier A. Kalvitis, the Parliament Speaker I. Undre, representatives of Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, and Muslim communities of Latvia.

The congregation numbered several thousand and those who failed to enter the cathedral could watch the service on a large monitor near the church. The service was also broadcast by a Latvian TV company.

After the Liturgy His Holiness Patriarch Alexy greeted President Vike-Freiberga and underlined the fact the head of the Latvian State was present at the service. ‘For us it is a pledge of unity of all people in Latvia’, His Holiness said.

The Russian Orthodox Primate gave the President an Easter egg as a sign of joy in the Risen Lord and wished her God’s help in her work for the betterment of her country and all its people.

The President thanked for the Patriarch’s gift and said for her the Easter egg signifies an aspiration for unity of all people of Latvia.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy gave liturgical vessels as his gift for the cathedral. Having noticed hard working of Metropolitan Alexander of Riga and All Latvia for reviving of the Orthodoxy in the country of Latvia, His Holiness presented him with a panagia.

After that, Metropolitan Alexander of Riga and All Latvia greeted His Holiness the Patriarch. He gave the Russian Orthodox Primate as a keepsake of his being in Latvia a panagia with an icon of the Tikhvin icon of the Mother of God and an icon of St John Pommer, Archbishop of Riga and Martyr.

His Holiness also greeted sisters of the Holy Trinity Convent and noticed that many of their midst worked a lot for restoration of monastic life in Russia. 19 Russian mothers superior started their monastic way in the Holy Trinity Convent in Riga. Ten of them were attending the Divine Liturgy in the Nativity Cathedral.

After the service His Holiness Patriarch Alexy talked with those who failed to enter the church and prayed outdoors and distributed little icons of the Holy Trinity to them.

In the evening Metropolitan Alexander of Riga and All Latvia is going to give a reception in honour of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church which President Vike-Freiberga is expected to attend.