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On October 28, 2010, the pilgrims group led by DECR Chairman Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, who are on pilgrimage to Mount Athos with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, proceeded from the Skete of St. Anne to St. Paul’s Monastery.

As navigation around Mt. Athos peninsula was cancelled because of adverse weather conditions, the pilgrims had to walk to the monastery by a mountain path. On their way, they visited the New Skete and its church of the Nativity of the Mother of God, in which they venerated its shrines and had a talk with the monastic community.

At St Paul’s Monastery, the official delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church was welcomed by its abbot, Archimandrite Parthenius. At the monastery’s cathedral church, they venerated the shrines and celebrated Small Compline with the reading of the akathistos to the Mother of God.

Then Metropolitan Hilarion and his delegation had a talk with the abbot. Addressing Archimandrite Parthenius, His Eminence Hilarion said:

‘During our pilgrimage, we have visited many monasteries and everywhere we participated in divine services and celebrations on monasteries’ feast days. In the Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon, we celebrated the Divine Liturgy twice; we celebrated the liturgy at the Skete of St. Andrew and then visited various monasteries including Philotheou, Xiropotamos, Xenophontos, Iveron, the Great Laura, and yesterday we spent a whole day in the Skete of St. Anne and celebrated the Divine Liturgy there.

When we were told that it would be difficult to get to St. Paul’s Monastery because of the shower and strong wind, we conferred for a long time and then said a prayer to the Most Holy Mother of God and set off for your monastery to pray together with you and to celebrate the Divine Liturgy tomorrow in this holy monastery. And the Lord has reworded us: while we were walking the strong wind and shower subsided but now the rain has intensified again. We have come soaked and hungry, and you have given us the truly Athonian welcome by providing us with dry clothes and food. We thank you for this and ask for your holy prayers.

We are very glad that there are Russian monks dwelling in your monastery. Thank God, you represent the international image of Mount Athos because the Holy Mountain has always been a haven for monks regardless of their nationality and the language in which they speak.

There are four bishops in our group. Among my fellow-travelers is Archbishop Feognost, the abbot of St Sergius’s Laura of the Trinity. It is the number one monastery in the Russian Orthodox Church; there are over three hundred monks there. The founder of the Laura, St. Sergius of Radonezh, was a man who established and developed the tradition of Athonite monasticism in the Russian land. He was granted an authorization charter and a paraman cross by Patriarch Philotheus Kokkin of Constantinople. Today the Laura’s monks fulfill many tasks and many of them have been to Mount Athos, and two of them are staying here, in your monastery. Travelling with us is also Archbishop Anthony, rector of Kiev Theological Academy. It is the first academy to appear in the Russian Orthodox Church, and other academies were modeled after it. Today, Kiev Academy and Seminary have over three hundred students. It is located in the Kiev Laura of the Caves, the oldest monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church, founded by Sts Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. The entire Russian monasticism had its rise from there. Among our pilgrims is also Bishop Feofilakt of Bryansk and Sevsk, the ruling bishop of a diocese which borders on Ukraine and Belarus. There are also four priests, two deacons and several laymen in our group’.

DECR Communication Service