Primate of the Orthodox Church in America arrives in Moscow
His Beatitude Jonah, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada, arrived in Moscow on December 5, 2009, at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, to take part in the celebrations devoted to the 15th anniversary of the OCA Representation Church in Moscow.
His Beatitude Jonah was met at the airport by Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, Bishop Alexander of Dmitrov, Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman, and others.
In the evening, Metropolitan Jonah attended the All-Night Vigil at St. Daniel’s Monastery in Moscow. He conveyed to the father superior of the monastery, Archimandrite Alexy Polikarpov, a part of the relics of St. Herman of Alaska honoured with special reverence by the Orthodox in America. Addressing the congregation Metropolitan Jonah said that common saints strengthen the unity of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in America. He also said that his Church was preparing the canonization of a new saint, blessed Olga, an ethnic Eskimo wife of a priest, who died 30 ago in Alaska.
On December 6, the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Moscow and said a litany at the grave of the late Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia.
On December 7, His Beatitude Jonah together with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Catherine’s Representation Church.
DECR Communication Service