Metropolitan Jonah continues visit to Russia

Metropolitan Jonah blessed water in courtyard of OCA Representation Church of St. Catherine.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA [OCA]—After his arrival in Moscow on January 14, 2011, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, visited the Diocese of Nizhny Novgorod, where he was welcomed by His Eminence, Archbishop George. At the Holy Trinity-Saint Seraphim-Diveevo Monastery, he celebrated the Vigil for the Feast of Saint Seraphim of Sarov. The following morning, he concelebrataed the Divine Liturgy with Archbishop George and visiting hierarchs, at the conclusion of which he spoke of the deep love the faithful of America have for Saint Seraphim and presented Archbishop George with relics of Saint Herman of Alaska.

Metropolitan Jonah presided at the Divine Liturgy at the Moscow Church of the Icon of the Mother of God, the “Joy to All the Afflicted,” on Sunday, January 16. Concelebrating were His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations and parish rector; His Grace, Bishop Melchisedek of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, who had arrived in Moscow on Saturday; Archimandrite Zacchaeus, Representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchate; and area and parish clergy. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Hilarion greeted Metropolitan Jonah and Bishop Melchisedek.

“We are happy to greet you as the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America that received autocephalous status from the Russian Orthodox Church 40 years ago and is bringing beauty and power of Orthodoxy to the American people,” Metropolitan Hilarion said. “Compared with other Autocephalous Churches, your Church is young. However, having shone forth in it were many zealots of the faith and renowned theologians, whose books have been translated into Russian, and many believers here enjoy reading them. Your Beatitude, the people of God have elected you as Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, and you have been serving them with dignity.”

On Monday, January 17, Metropolitan Jonah and Bishop Melchisedek visited the Moscow Representation of the Valaam Monastery, and later met with the president and representatives of the Saint Andrew the First Called Foundation, who briefed them on the organization’s pro-life and other programs. That afternoon, they called on Canadian Ambassador to Russia, John Sloan, at the Canadian Embassy. In the evening, they were the guests of Metropolitan Hilarion at the Department for External Church Relations.

On the morning of the Eve of the Great Feast of Theophany—January 18—Metropolitan Jonah and Bishop Melchisedek concelebrated the Vesperal Divine Liturgy at Saint Catherine Representation Church, where they were welcomed by Archimandrite Zacchaeus, Dean. After the Liturgy, the first Great Blessing of Water was celebrated in the parish courtyard.

Detailed information and photo galleries of Metropolitan Jonah’s visit are available on the web site of Saint Catherine Representation Church at http://www.st-catherine.ru/news.