Primate of the Russian Church celebrates at the Cathedral of Dormition in Moscow Kremlin on feast day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

On 4 November 2019, the feast day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God in the Moscow Kremlin. That same day a national holiday– National Unity Day is celebrated.

Taking part in the Patriarchal divine service was a delegation of the Archdiocese of Orthodox parishes of Russian tradition in Western Europe led by Metropolitan John of Dubna. The celebration at the very heart of Russia – the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Dormition in Kremlin is symbolical and also an act of unity with the representatives of the Archdiocese thus marking the final healing of schism that divided the Russian Church after the Revolution of 1917 and the Civil war.

Hymns of the Divine Liturgy were sung by the choir of the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Paris and the choir of the Cathedral of the Dormition in Smolensk.

The Patriarchal divine service was broadcast live on ‘Soyuz’ TV channel.

Petition for the unity of the Orthodox Church and for keeping the Church from divisions and schism were offered up at the Litany of fervent supplication.

After the Liturgy His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed his primatial words to the worshippers.