Orthodox Liturgy celebrated in Portuguese penitentiary institution for the first time
On 18 January 2010, the Eve of the Epiphany, Vespers and the Divine Liturgy, the first in the history of penitentiary institutions in Portugal, were celebrated in Vale de Judeus prison located 60 km north of Lisbon.
Praying at the divine service celebrated by the rector of the All Saints parish of the Moscow Patriarchate in Lisbon hegumen Arseny (Sokolov) were eleven Orthodox prisoners. Earlier, only prayer services, pastoral talks and confessions of the prisoners who are emigrants from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania were held in the prison.
The parish of All Saints in Lisbon takes care for Vale de Judeus prison and also for the Orthodox prisoners in the detention facility in the capital city, official site of the Korsun diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate reports.