Easter liturgy celebrated in Church Slavonic in Ethiopia for the first time in a century
With a blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Ioann of Chersonese of Western Europe, head of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Western Europe, sent a cleric of the Diocese of Chersonese, Rev. Sergiy Kim, to Ethiopia to celebrate Pascal divine services for the staff members of the Russian Federation embassy in the country. The trip lasted from April 25 to 30, 2019. During his visit the priest was accompanied by the Russian attaché in the Federative Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, K. M. Kluikov.
Upon his arrival, Father Sergiy paid a visit to the representative of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria in Ethiopia, Metropolitan Daniel of Aksum, and conveyed to him a greeting from Metropolitan Ioann of Chersonese of Western Europe. In accordance with an agreement with the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, Metropolitan Daniel handed over to Father Sergiy a corporal for celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the Russian diplomatic mission.
A temporary church was arranged in the embassy’s reception hall. In the evening of the Great Thursday, matins was celebrated with the reading of the twelve Passion Gospels, and in the Friday morning – the Royal Hours. On the Great Saturday, the priest celebrated the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great after which the embassy staff brought Easter cakes, cheesecakes and dyed eggs for blessing.
On the Easter morning, April 28, a procession with the cross was held in the territory of the Russian embassy, after which the Easter martins and festive Liturgy were celebrated. Father Sergiy congratulated the embassy staff and their families on the Paschal Liturgy celebrated in Church Slavonic for the first time after a hundred-year interruption in Ethiopia.
On the Bright Monday, Rev. Sergiy Kim attended the festive Easter reception given by the Ethiopian Patriarchate. He greeted Patriarch Abune Mattias and Patriarch Abune Merkorious and conveyed Easter greetings from Metropolitan Ioann of Chersonese of Western Europe. After the reception, Father Sergiy and Mr. Klyikov met with Rev. Daniel Seifemichael and discussed with him some matters concerning academic and educational cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Patriarch of Ethiopia.
In the evening, a non-formal meeting was held at the Don Bosco Salesian Center with the Catholic priest Hyacinthe Destivelle of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, who was in Ethiopia on a working visit.
On Bright Wednesday, April 30, Father Sergiy paid a visit to the newly appointed Russian ambassador to Ethiopia, Ye. Ye. Terekhin. During their warm meeting, they discussed the Orthodox presence in Ethiopia.
Later that day, Father Sergiy Kim had a talk with students of the embassy’s Russian school. He told them about Christ, the Church and principles of Christian life in a church community.
In the evening of April 30, the priest left Addis Ababa for Paris.
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