Paschal Liturgy in Church Slavonic is celebrated in Izmir

On Bright Monday, 16 April 2012, Paschal Matins and Divine Liturgy in the Church Slavonic language were celebrated for the Russian-speaking community of Izmir, Turkey. One hundred natives of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and other countries attended, and half of them had taken Holy Communion.

Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), whom Metropolitan Hilarion commissioned to go to Turkey, officiated at the services celebrated in the Church of St. Photinia, Orthodox Church of Constantinople, located in the territory of the General Consulate of Greece, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. He gave his blessing in response to the request of the Russian-speaking Christians living in Izmir.

Praying at the Liturgy were archimandrite Kyrillos (Sikis), rector of St. Photinia’s Church; attaché K. Relaxis of the Consulate General of Greece in Izmir, and representatives of the Greek Orthodox community. Part of the prayers was said in Greek. After the service, hieromonk Stefan blessed Paschal cakes brought by the worshippers.

Attaché Relaxis expressed joy in his welcoming speech over the celebration in Church Slavonic and called it a remarkable event in the life of local community. Archimandrite Kyrillos noted that common prayer of the Greek and Russian-speaking Orthodox Christians in Izmir and communion of one chalice were visible signs of spiritual unity between the Orthodox Churches of Russia and Constantinople.

Hieromonk Stefan expressed cordial gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew and to the Consulate General of Greece for the opportunity to celebrate for the compatriots in Izmir.