His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia Completes His Stay in the Puhtica Convent
30.09.2003 · English, Архив 2003
HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH ALEXY II OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA COMPLETES HIS STAY IN THE PUHTICA CONVENT
On 29 September 2003 His Holiness Patriarch Alexy saw the buildings of the Puhtica Convent and got acquainted with its spiritual and economic life.
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church commemorated the dead at the tombs of the governor-general of Estonia Prince S.V.Shahovskoy and Princess Ye.D.Shahovskaya, who are buried at the sanctuary of the Church of St.Sergius of Radonezh in the territory of the Convent.
After that His Holiness went to the Cathedral of the Assumption and venerated the holy objects of the Convent, the main one of which is the miraculous Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God.
His Holiness Patriarch Alexy addressed the clergymen and sisters of the Puhtica Convent and said: Our stay in the Puhtica Convent comes to the end. I thank the Lord Who honoured me to visit the land of Estonia so dear to my heart and this holy abode after many years. The problems, which prevented me from visiting my native Estonia for ten years, were solved last year, yet my illness did not allow me to come here last year and earlier this year.
I celebrated Divine services together with the archpastors who came with me to the Puhtica Convent and with the clergymen of the abode, had contacts with the Mother Superior and sisters of the Convent and prayed with the pilgrims. That will live in my heart forever as a precious memory. Prayers about the Convent continued even in the hard times, when the frontiers and different circumstances divided us. We always pray for the Puhtica Convent and for those who perform their pastoral ministry here, who are in charge of the abode and fulfil their monastic obedience.
The Primate thanked all people who prayed for his health and said: The prayers of the Church helped me to overcome my illness and make a pilgrimage first to St.Seraphim of Sarov and now to the land of Estonia. I pray the Heavenly Queen to intercede for the Convent. The Most Holy Mother of God helps all of us to carry our cross. May the Lord help you all to perform your ministry to the glory of God and for the good of Holy Orthodoxy’.
At noon His Holiness Patriarch Alexy left for Tallinn. In the evening the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church will meet with the President of Estonia A.Ryuitel.
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