Patriarch Theodoros II celebrates Divine Liturgy in St Alexander Nevsky monastery
December 6, 2017 – on the commemoration day of St. Alexander Nevsky, Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity at the St. Alexander Nevsky Laura.
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria was assisted by Metropolitans, Varsonofiy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, Meletios of Carthage, Archbishops Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alania, and Ambrose of Petergof, Bishop Nazariy, abbot of the monastery, Bishop Ignatiy of Armavir and Labinsk, and the diocesan clergy.
After the liturgy Metropolitan Varsonofiy greeted the high guest saying in particular, ‘On the day when our Church honours the memory of St. Alexander Nevsky, you have come to our city to preside over today’s celebration. Since the visit of a Patriarch is always a blessing of God, it is a great joy for us that you have come to St. Petersburg. We are aware of the history of the Church of Alexandria as one of the oldest in Christendom. In her history, there were many great events and ascetics who at the dawn of Christianity asserted the right faith in the Universal Church. We remember Ss Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria, the founders of monasticism, as well as Anthony, Pachomius, Paisius and other saints. We remember that hard times came for the Church of Alexandria when invaders came.
‘It is a difficult time today too. One of its problems is terrorism. Two years ago a tragedy happened as a plane was blown up over the Sinai Peninsula, in which people from St. Petersburg were flying. Your life is had there and we pray that the Lord may give you strength and help.
‘During the recent meeting with Patriarch Kirill you said that though you serve in Egypt, your heart has remained in Russia, because you once were here as representative of the Patriarch of Alexandria and came to love our people and our Church. We can feel this love every time when we see you. We would like to wish Your Beatitude that you may carry out your apostolic work as successfully as your predecessors did. You have a large continent, a numerous flock and much to do in you pastoral service. We hope that with God’s help your work will be crowned with new parishes, clergy and faithful’.
Metropolitan Varsonofiy presented His Beatitude and the hierarch who accompanied him with crosses and pectoral icons.
Patriarch Theodoros said in response, ‘Thirty years have passed since I came to your city, still Leningrad at that time. The late Patriarch Alexy II was the Metropolitan of Leningrad at that time, and he invited me to visit with him. And now I am thankful to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill for his having invited me to the celebration of the centenary of the restoration of Patriarchate in Russia. I have come to you because I am ‘your man’. I live with you as long as ten years, learnt your language and came to know your heart.
‘I live in the great city of Alexandria. Nearby is another great city – Antioch and not far away is the holy city of Jerusalem, and dominating all these cities is the majestic city of Constantinople. These are the ancient and oldest Churches with developed theology. Bishops and priest of older Churches came to your country to preach Christ and presented this land with Orthodoxy. I preach the same Orthodoxy in fifty four countries in Africa’.
Patriarch Theodoros awarded Metropolitan Varsonofiy with the Order of St. Sabbas the Sanctified.
After the service at the St. Nicholas cemetery at the monastery, Patriarch Theodoros laid flowers at the grave of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov).
On the same day, His Holiness visited the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan. He was welcomed by the cathedral clergy led by the rector, Archpriest Pavel Krasnotsvetov. Father Pavel briefly introduced the guest to the history of the cathedral and the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and presented him with a miracle-working copy of the icon and books about the cathedral in English, the website of the diocese of St. Petersburg has reported.
DECR Communication Service
Other events
-
11.12.2017 21:03Primate of the Church of Alexandria celebrates at Novotikhvisky Convent in Yekaterinburg
-
08.12.2017 23:17Primate of Orthodox Church of Cyprus completes his visit to Moscow
-
08.12.2017 22:48Primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem visits Yekaterinburg
-
08.12.2017 16:45Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada completes his visit to Moscow
-
07.12.2017 19:06His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia completes his visit to Moscow
-
07.12.2017 18:52Patriarch Irinej of Serbia completes his visit to Moscow
-
07.12.2017 12:54His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with delegation of Bulgarian Orthodox Church
-
07.12.2017 10:46Patriarch Theodoros II celebrates Divine Liturgy in St Alexander Nevsky monastery
-
06.12.2017 10:31Primate of the Polish Orthodox Church completes his visit to Moscow
-
05.12.2017 22:42Primates of Russian and Polish Orthodox Churches meet in Moscow
-
05.12.2017 21:14Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church meets with His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania
-
05.12.2017 19:56His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch
-
05.12.2017 18:55His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria
-
05.12.2017 10:50Russian President Vladimir Putin had a talk with His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch
-
04.12.2017 22:58Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Primates of Local Orthodox Churches
-
04.12.2017 18:01Reception at the Church of Christ the Saviour on the occasion of the centenary of the restoration of the Patriarchate
-
04.12.2017 16:07His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa officiates at the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on the centenary of enthronement of St. Tikhon the Patriarch of Moscow
-
04.12.2017 07:30Patriarch Kirill meets with Patriarch Daniel of Romania
-
02.12.2017 14:15Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church arrives in Moscow
-
02.12.2017 00:44Primate of Albanian Orthodox Church arrives in Moscow
-
02.12.2017 00:34Primate of the Polish Orthodox Church arrives in the Russian capital
-
01.12.2017 21:56His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus arrives in Moscow
-
01.12.2017 21:12His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia arrives in Moscow
-
01.12.2017 15:27Primate of the Orthodox Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia arrives in Moscow
-
01.12.2017 14:07Primate of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria arrives in Moscow
-
01.12.2017 09:34Primate of the Orthodox Church in America arrives in Moscow
-
01.12.2017 09:15His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem arrives in Moscow to take part in the celebrations marking the centenary of restoration of Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church