On fortieth day after demise of Archimandrite Alexander (Pihach) his memory was celebrated at Moscow representation of Orthodox Church in America

On November 16, the fortieth day after the demise of Archimandrite Alexander (Pihach), representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchal see and rector of OCA Moscow representation, the memorial service was celebrated at the church of the Protomartyr Catherine-Close-to-the-Fields. The memorial service was presided over by Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations (DECR), assisted by the representation’s clergy.

Archpriest Nikolay conveyed to the OCA Moscow representation clergy and parishioners condolences from the DECR chairman Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk and shared his remembrances of the late Father Alexander.

After the memorial service, Archpriest Christopher Hill read out a message from His Beatitude Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, to the Parish of the St. Catherine. ‘The celebration of the memorial service on the fortieth day after the Archimandrite Alexander’s passing away in the Lord united us all in the spirit of love and prayer’, the message states, ‘You have gathered together in the church of the Holy Protomartyr Catherine in Moscow while I am in my residence and office in Long Island, New York. But the vast distance between us today by no means belittles out unity in love for Father Alexander and our prayer for him’.

‘By God’s blessing, I will be with you next Saturday in the church of Protomartyr Catherine in order to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and then preside over the memorial service for Father Alexander’, His Beatitude Tikhon noted.

DECR Communication Service