Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates Paschal service at the church of the ‘Joy to All the Afflicted” Icon of the Mother of God

At night of May 5, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the DECR, officiated at the Paschal service at the church of the “Joy to All the Afflicted” Icon of the Mother of God. Concelebrating were schema-archimandrite Gabriel (Bunge) from the Korsun diocese, ordained staff members of the DECR, and clerics of the church.

Procession with the cross went round the church at midnight; Pascal stanza “Thy Resurrection, O Christ the Saviour…” was being sung.

At Matins, Metropolitan Hilarion read out the Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom.

The Gospel was read in the Greek, Latin, Church Slavonic and Russian languages.

Hegumen Filaret (Tambovsky), a cleric of the church, read out Paschal Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.

After the prayer before the ambo, Metropolitan Hilarion blessed the Artos.

Metropolitan Hilarion greeted the worshippers with the feast of Pascha, saying in the end of his address: “May Pascha always live in our hearts, may the joy of the Resurrection of Christ always permeates them and inspires us to do good. Christ is risen!”