Metropolitan Hilarion completes his visit to Mount Athos

On 13 December 2017, the commemoration day of St. Andrew the-First-Called, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, officiated at the Divine Liturgy at the cathedral of the Russian St.Panteleimon Monastery. Concelebrating with Metropolitan Hilarion on the last day of his stay on the Holy Mountain were Archimandrite Evlogy, hegumen of the monastery, the brethren, and the ordained members of the pilgrims’ group from Russia.

After the divine service Metropolitan Hilarion delivered a sermon, in which he recalled and explained the events narrated in the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark and John. He said: “The news of salvation has spread throughout the world among different nations thanks to the apostles’ deeds, and today we are successors of the apostolic mission.

“The Lord has called all of us to His Church and expects that we will bring fruits of our work which He entrusted to us, be it apostolic labours, mission, preaching, the deed of prayer or charity. Deep in our hearts we know what we should do to follow Him.

“Let us pray to St. Andrew the First-Called for helping us to have firm faith and ardent love which turned simple fishermen into audacious preachers of the world of God. Let us beseech the Lord to grant us the gift of prayer and intercession at His altar, and the gift of the word necessary for the continuation of the apostles’ deeds.”

Metropolitan Hilarion conveyed greetings and the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to the hegumen and the brethren and said that His Holiness always remembers this holy monastery and had done a lot for its rebirth in its original splendor and beauty.

After the repast the DECR chairman had a talk with Archimandrite Evlogy.

That same day Metropolitan Hilarion and his suit left for Moscow.