The Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr is blessed in Rome

The Lesser Blessing of a new Orthodox church dedicated to St. Catherine the Great Martyr was performed in Rome on 19 May 2006.

The Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations (DECR) Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad arrived in Rome on May 17.

He was met at the airport by the DECR deputy chairman Bishop Mark of Yegorievsk, representative of the Russian Federation to the Vatican N.Sadchikov, and secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity Bishop Brian Farrell.

The next day Metropolitan Kirill met with the journalists and gave interview to some Italian TV channels and publications. He also appeared on some Russian TV agencies.

That same day a reception was given for members of the Russian delegation and clergymen who arrived in Rome to take part in the Office of the Lesser Blessing of the church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr. The reception was held in the hall of St. Nicholas’ church in Rome.

Metropolitan Kirill celebrated a prayer service at the shrine with the relics of St. Cyril, Equal-to-the-Apostles, the Illuminator of the Slavs. The relics repose in St.Clement’s Basilica. Attending the prayer service were the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity Cardinal Walter Kasper, secretary of the Council Bishop Brian Farrell, and members of the church delegation. After the prayer service Metropolitan Kirill proceeded to the Vatican to meet with Pope Benedict XVI.

That same day in the evening the choir of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery performed religious hymns and folk songs in the ‘Auditorium’ concert hall. Representatives of the clergy from Russia and Italy, politicians, businessmen and pilgrims attended the concert, after which Cardinal Roger Etchegaray and Metropolitan Kirill addressed the audience.

The Office of the Lesser Blessing of the church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr was performed on 19 May 2006.

The choirs of St. Nicholas church in Rome and of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery sang during the service officiated by Metropolitan Kirill. Concelebrating were Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun, Bishop Mark of Yegorievsk, clergymen of the Italian deanery of the Korsun diocese and ordained members of the delegation from Russia.

Praying at the service were Presidential Envoy in the Central Federal District G.Poltavchenko, secretary of the Russian Security Council I.Ivanov, Moscow Mayor Yu.Luzhkov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Italy A. Meshkov, representative of Russia at the Holy See N. Sadchikov, benefactors and parishioners of St. Nicholas church in Rome.

Attending the service were also the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity Cardinal Walter Kasper, former President of the Council Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, President of the Commission for Ecumenism and Dialogue of the Italian Episcopal Conference Bishop Vincenzo Paglia of Terni-Narni-Amelia, Archbishop Orazio Soricelli of Amalfi-Cava de’ Tirreni, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications Bishop Renato Boccardo, and others.

After the Divine Liturgy Metropolitan Kirill addressed those present at the service. The Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations noted an historical importance of the Lesser Blessing of the Russian Orthodox church in Rome and the role of benefactors in the construction of the church.

Cardinal Walter Kasper greeted those present on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church. He noted the importance of common witness about Christian values to the world.

Archbishop Orazio Soricelli presented the church with a particle of the relics of St. Catherine the Great Martyr. The rector of the St. Nicholas’ Basilica in Bari presented the church with a vessel with the chrism from the relics of St. Nicholas. Moscow Mayor Yu. Luzhkov also greeted the participants in the Lesser Blessing.

A reception was given at Abamelek Villa after the divine service. Metropolitan Kirill was awarded with the ‘Silver Rose of St. Nicholas’ by the Frieburg University. The award was presented by Mons. Klaus Wirwoll and the dean of the Theological Department of the Frieburg University (Switzerland) Barbara Hallensleben. That same day Metropolitan Kirill gave a news conference for representatives of the Russian and Italian mass media in the White Hall of the Russian Embassy.