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On 27 October 2010, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; Archbishop Feognost of Sergiev Posad, chairman of the Synodal Commission for Monasteries; Archbishop Antony of Borispol, rector of the Kiev Theological Academy and Seminary, and Bishop Feofilakt of Bryansk and Sevsk celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the chapel of the Presentation of the Holy Virgin to the Temple that houses the “Kukuzelissa” Icon of the Mother of God. Singing at the service were priests and laymen from the pilgrims’ group. They sang in the Church-Slavonic language in accordance with the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The pilgrims venerated the burial site of the founder of the Monastery of Great Laura, St. Athanasius the Athonite, and other holy places. The high guests were met by the epitropos, hieromonk Eustratius, and the elder brethren.

The Great Laura was founded by St. Athanasius the Athonite, a pillar of monasticism on the Holy Mount, in the 10th century. The cathedral has become a prototype for all katholikons (primary churches) on Mt. Athos. The Monastery of Great Laura has many sketes and cells at the southeast part of the peninsula.