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On September 21, 2016, the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations (DECR), who is in Italy with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and in accordance with the Holy Synod decision for the 14th Plenary Session of the Joint Commission for Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the church of the Holy Protomartyr Catherine in Rome. His Eminence was assisted by the ecclesiarch of the church Hieromonk Ambrose (Matsegora), Hieromonk Afanasy (Potapov) and Deacon Alexy Maksimov, as well as Deacon Yevgeny Petrov.

During the service, Metropolitan Hilarion lifted up a prayer for peace in Ukraine.

After the Prayer before the Ambo, a praise was sung at the icon of the feast, after which Father Ambrose addressed the high guest, greeting him on behalf of the administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate parishes in Italy, Bishop Anthony of Bogorodsk, as well as the clergy and laity of the Parish of St. Catherine.

In his response, Metropolitan Hilarion thanked His Grace Anthony as well as the clergy and parishioners of the church. In his sermon, His Eminence gave special attention to the example of sacrificial life given by the Most Holy Mother of God, which revealed the depth of her obedience to God’s will and made her an intercessor of all the Christians.

DECR Communication Service