His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall

On 22 June 2008, the 67^th anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia laid a wreath at the memorial in the Aleksandrovsky Garden. Taking part in the ceremony were over two hundred clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church – hierarchs, clerics and monastics; representatives of state authorities and veterans of the Great Patriotic War.

After the wreath adorned by the Orthodox cross had been laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the hymn of the Russian Federation was performed.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church prayed for the leaders and soldiers who had fallen in battle. ‘Memory Eternal’ was said to all people who died during the Great Patriotic War.

The guards of honour and Presidential orchestra of the Moscow Kremlin marched in front of the participants in the ceremony.

His Holiness the Patriarch addressed the servicemen, saying, ‘This day is the day of grief and memory, as the most murderous war began sixty-seven years ago.’ His Holiness reminded them of the exploits of the soldiers who sacrificed their life during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45 to save the Motherland and defeat the enemy.