Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates at the Church of the Resurrection in Zurich

On 7 December 2016, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the Divine liturgy at the Church of the Resurrection in Zurich.

At the entrance to the church children from Sunday school met him with flowers and bread and salt of hospitality.

Concelebrating with His Holiness were Metropolitan Jeremiah of Switzerland, Patriarchate of Constantinople); Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk;  Metropolitan Innokenty of Vilnius and Lithuania; Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsk; Archbishop Feofan of Berlin and Germany; Archbishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe; Archbishop Sergy of Solnechnogorsk; Bishop Nestor of Korsun; Bishop Antony of Bogorodsk, Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov); Archpriest Mikhail Zeman, rector of the Church of the Resurrection in Zurich; and clerics of the Korsun diocese.

Representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian confessions attended the service, singing at which was ‘Pokrov’ choir conducted by Andrei Goryachev.

The passage from the Holy Gospel was read in the Church-Slavonic and German languages.

After the Litany of Fervent Supplication His Holiness Patriarch Kirill offered up a prayer for peace in Ukraine.

After the service, Archpriest Mikhail Zeman addressed greetings to Patriarch Kirill, saying: ‘We are happy today as were happy those who attended the consecration of this church fifteen years ago performed by Your Holiness, as those who attended festivities ten years ago which You led on the occasion of the 70^th anniversary of our parish. We rejoice together with a new generation of our parishioners who, together with us, celebrate the 80^th anniversary of our community. We thank You for the great joy which You are giving us, your children.’

Archpriest Mikhail presented His Holiness with an icon of the holy martyrs Felix, Regula and Exuperancia, patron saints of Zurich.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church delivered a homily, congratulated the community on the 80^th anniversary, thanked all people working here, especially wardens, decorators and builders, donated an icon of the Saviour to the church,

and presented awards of the Russian Orthodox Church to several people in consideration of help they rendered to the Church of the Resurrection in Zurich.

Reception was given in honour of the 80^th anniversary of the parish.