Patriarch Kirill celebrates Divine Liturgy on St. Sergius of Radonezh commemoration day at St. Sergius’s Laura of the Trinity
Observed annually on July the 18th, the day of the founding of the honourable relics of St. Sergius, the Abbot of Radonezh (1422), has become this year the culmination of the celebrations devoted to the 700th birthday of the great Russian ascetic.
On this day, St. Sergius’s Laura of the Holy Trinity saw the arrival of bishops and priests from most of the Russian Orthodox dioceses, delegations of Local Orthodox Churches, as well as numerous guests and pilgrims.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia led the celebration of the festive Liturgy at the monastery’s Cathedral Square. He was assisted by a great assembly of bishops and priests from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Central Asia, and Belarus.
There were delegations from the Orthodox Churches of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Georgia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Cyprus, Greece, Albania, Poland, Czechia and Slovakia, and America. The service was attended by high-ranking federal and regional officials. There were thousands of pilgrims. The liturgy was broadcast by several TV networks and the Patriarchia.ru.
After the Prayer of Fervent Supplication, Patriarch Kirill led the congregation in a prayer for peace in Ukraine.
Patriarchal Press Service/DECR Communication Service
Photos by Patriarchal Press Service