Anniversary of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy’s enthronement celebrated in the Church of Christ the Saviour

The sixteenth anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia was celebrated on June 8.

The celebration was transferred from June 10 to June 8, as the anniversary coincided this year with the Trinity Ancestral Saturday. His Holiness celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Church of Christ the Saviour on June 8 together with the assembly of archpastors of the Russian Orthodox Church and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, including Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and Primorje and other clergymen of the Serbian Orthodox Church who accompanied the righteous right hand of St. John the Baptist, the prophet and baptizer of the Lord, brought to Moscow the day before. Also concelebrating were Metropolitans Basilios of Elasson and Kyrillos of Thessaliotis and Phanariophersala and other members of the Greek Orthodox Church delegation.

After the Liturgy, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy celebrated a prayer service before the relics of St. John the Baptist.

Metropolitan Vladimir of St.Petersburg and Ladoga congratulated the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church on behalf of the Holy Synod and hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church and presented His Holiness the Patriarch with an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Archpriest Anatoly Rodionov, rector of the church of the ‘Assuage My Sorrows’ Icon of the Mother of God in Maryino congratulated His Holiness on behalf of the Moscow clergymen. He presented His Holiness Patriarch Alexy with a model of the Valamo monastery and surrounding sketes made of wood and ivory.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church expressed his thanks for congratulations and prayerful support to the members of the Holy Synod, hierarchs and clergymen, the monastics and laymen – the Orthodox Christians who have preserved the Orthodox faith in the decades of hard trials.

A festive reception was given after the Divine service in the refectory chambers of the Church of Christ the Saviour. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy presented awards to several hierarchs of the Russian Church.

Metropolitan German of Volgograd and Kamyshin was awarded the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, 2^nd class, in consideration of his zealous archpastoral work and the 40^th anniversary of his ordination.

Metropolitan Varnava of Cheboksary and Chuvashia was awarded the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, 2^nd class, in consideration of his 75^th birthday and the 30^th anniversary of his episcopal consecration.

Archbishop Longin of Klin, a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Germany, was awarded the Order of St.Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, 2^nd class, in consideration of his zealous archpastoral work, the 25^th anniversary of his episcopal consecration and his 60^th birthday.

Archbishop Lev of Novgorod and Staraya Russa was awarded the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, 2^nd class, in consideration of his zealous archpastoral work, the 35th anniversary of his ordination and his 60^th birthday.

Archbishop Vikenty of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturje was awarded the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, 2^nd class, in consideration of his zealous archpastoral work and the 25^th anniversary of his ordination.

The rector of the St. Petersburg Theological academy and seminary Archbishop Konstantin of Tikhvin was awarded the Order of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, 2^nd class, in consideration of his archpastoral and missionary work, the 20th anniversary of his ordination and the 15^th anniversary of his episcopal consecration.

Archbishop Kirill of Yaroslavl and Rostov was awarded the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, 2^nd class, in consideration of his zealous archpastoral work, the 25^th anniversary of his ordination and his 45^th birthday.

Bishop Feofan of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz was awarded the Order of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, 2^nd class, in consideration of his missionary work and the 30^th anniversary of his ordination.