Metropolitan Kirill celebrates a prayer service in Beijing

On 22 March 2006, the commemoration day of the ‘The Word Became Flesh’ Albazin Icon of the Mother of God, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad celebrated a prayer service in the building of the former church of St.Innocent on the territory of the Russian Embassy in Beijing. Metropolitan Kirill addressed parishioners of the Orthodox communities of Beijing, Guanjou, Shenjen and Honkong who worshipped at the service. He noted the significance of official opening of the Year of Russia in China falling on the commemoration day of the Albazin icon of the Mother of God that has historical links with the fortunes of Orthodoxy in China.

After the prayer service Metropolitan Kirill and Russian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China S.S.Razov proceeded to the opening of the Russian-Chinese Economic Forum.

Metropolitan Kirill is a member of the Organizing Committee of the Year of Russia in China. He has arrived to the People’s Republic of China to participate in the opening ceremony of the Year of Russia as a member of the official Russian delegation led by Russian President V.V.Putin. Metropolitan Kirill’s meetings with the Chinese officials are planned during his stay in Beijing.