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On 3 October 2015, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), consecrated the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Narva and officiated at the Divine Liturgy at the newly built church. Concelebrating were Metropolitan
Cornelius of Tallinn and All Estonia, Bishop Lazar of Narva and Prichudje, and clerics of the diocese. Attending the celebrating were Bishop Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan, Apostolic Administrator of Estonia; Archbishop Andres Poder of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church; hegumeness Filareta of the Puhtica Convent, head of the city assembly Mr. Tarmo Tammiste, Mayor Eduard East of Narva, and representatives of the diplomatic corps of the Russian Federation. Many believers worshipped in the church and near it.

While greeting Metropolitan Hilarion after the Divine service Metropolitan Lazar said that the new church would be an adorning of the city.

The DECR chairman conveyed greeting and blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to all those present and said: “His Holiness has sent me here to take part in this remarkable event. Any time we consecrate a church we rejoice at the appearance of a new place on earth where we can meet with the Lord and receive Holy Communion.

“We are happy to see how Orthodoxy is developing and strengthening in the land of Narva. Under the hard political and economic conditions new churches are being built and the Lord blesses our labours.” Metropolitan Hilarion congratulated Metropolitan Cornelius with the 25th anniversary of his episcopal
consecration and the 70th anniversary of his ordination to priesthood and wished him God’s help in his ministry.

The DECR chairman wished Bishop Lazar to be a worthy representative of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and a worthy assistant to Metropolitan Cornelius in the developing and strengthening of Orthodoxy in this land.

That same day Metropolitan Hilarion performed a blessing of the almshouse at the Church of the Narva icon of the Mother of God and departed for Moscow.