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On September 11, 2020, the Day of the Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John and the 19th anniversary of the terrorist attack in the USA with the death toll of about three thousand, the Divine Liturgy and the Office for the Dead for innocent people killed by terrorists were held at the Church of the Great Martyr Catherine in-the-Fields – the representation of the Orthodox Church in America to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

The Office for the Dead was said in English by Archpriest Daniel Andreyuk, rector of the Church of St. Catherine, representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

Present at the service were former Canadian charge d’affaires Mr. Stephane Jobin and secretary of inter-Orthodox relations of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk.

After the service, Father Daniel greeted the congregation on behalf of His Beatitude Tikhon, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, and the clergy of the St. Catherine Church. ‘It has become a tradition to assemble on this day in our church to honour the memory of those who were killed in the USA by terrorists on the 11th of September 2001, as well as the memory of all the victims of international terrorism’, he said, ‘But we not only pray for the repose of their souls but also bear witness to the unity of all people of good will regardless of their nationality and confession’.

Archpriest Daniel also thanked the Canadian diplomat, who had completed his mission in Moscow, for many years of cooperation with the Church of St. Catherine.

Mr. Jobin, in his turn, shared his remembrances of the tragic days in 2001 and thanked the representation of the Orthodox Church in America for its work to strengthen relations between the peoples of North America and Russia.

In conclusion, the worshippers proceeded to the churchyard where the bell rang 11 times in memory of the victims.

Patriarchia.ru

DECR Communication Service