His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada says thanksgiving before Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in Church of St Nicholas in Tolmachy

On 6 December 2014, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada and members of the delegation accompanying him on his irenical visit to the Russian Orthodox Church visited the State Tretyakov Gallery and the Church of St Nicholas in Tolmachy.

At St Nicholas Church, the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America was met by its rector, archpriest Nikolai Sokolov, clerics, and parishioners.

His Beatitude said a thanksgiving before the miracle-working Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. After the thanksgiving His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and the members of the delegation of the Orthodox Church in America venerated the shrine.

The rector of St Nicholas Church addressed the distinguished guest with words of greeting and presented him with a copy of the Vladimir Icon of the Heavenly Queen.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church in America noted that it was a great joy and honour for him to visit the Tretyakov Gallery and St Nicholas Church, to venerate the great shrines of the Russian land, such as the Vladimir icon of the Theotokos and the Icon of the Holy Trinity by St Andrew (Rublev), and to see some other treasures of the Russian art.

Archpriest Nikolai Sokolov showed the high guest around the church and told him about other shrines of St Nicholas Church, such as “The Merciful” Icon of the Mother of God and a cross from the Cathedral of the Dormition in the town of Dmitrov.