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In the afternoon of July 18, 2014, the representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, who participated in the celebrations marking the 700th anniversary of the birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh, visited the Stavropegic Convent of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God in Khotkovo and the Sofrino art production enterprise.

Meeting them in the convent was hegumenness Olimpiada (Baranova). The guests went first to St. Nicholas Cathedral to venerate the holy relics of Ss. Cyril and Mary, parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh, and then to the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God.

After that, the members of the delegations visited the village of Radonezh where St. Sergius had spent his childhood, and the local Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Then the representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches arrived in the Sofrino art production enterprise where they were met by its director, Mr. Yevgeny Parkhaev. The guests were shown around a sales department and icon-painting and sewing workshops.

On behalf of the Sofrino director, a solemn dinner was given in honour of the members of the delegations.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, DECR chairman, greeted all those present, saying in particular:
“The celebrations which have lasted for several days and gathered dozens and hundreds of thousands of people are coming to an end today. The procession with the cross opened the festivities: His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, together with dozens of thousands of the faithful, walked seventeen kilometers the day before yesterday.

“You saw large crowds of people taking part in the celebrations commemorating the 700th anniversary of the birth of St. Sergius. The celebrations have revealed deep and sincere piety of our people.
Every time such events occur we are amazed, seeing which what joy people response to them. When the Sash of the Mother of God was brought to us from Mount Athos, over a million people came to venerate it only in Moscow. The worshippers were standing in a queue for ten, twelve, fifteen hours. The queue encircled the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour several times. People were waiting patiently and meekly to venerate the shrine. It shows their strong faith, love for the Church, shrines, and saints. St Sergius who is rightly called Hegumen of the Russian Land, has won love of all our people for those seven hundred years that have passed since he was born.”

Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia (Patriarchate of Constantinople) thanked Metropolitan Hilarion on behalf of the representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, saying in particular, “You have captivated us by your brotherly love… I hope that St. Sergius, whom we all have commemorated today, will help you in your difficult work.”

Metropolitan Cleopas asked the DECR chairman to convey the words of deep gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on behalf of all representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, who had arrived in Moscow for the celebrations marking the 700th anniversary of the birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh.