OCA Hierarchs at Patronal Feast of St. Catherine’s Representation Church
On December 6-7, 2025, hierarchs and clergy from several Orthodox churches gathered in Moscow to celebrate the Feast of St. Catherine the Great Martyr at St. Catherine’s representation church. The two day celebration also marked the consecration of the parish’s newly restored iconostasis.
On the eve of the feast during the All-Night Vigil, His Eminence Archbishop Irénée of Ottawa and Canada presided at the Litya, while His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth presided at the Polyeleos with the reading of the Akathist to St. Catherine. Concelebrating were Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, rector of the representation church, and other clergy.
On December 7, His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, presided at the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating with him were His Eminence Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarchate of Antioch, along with Archbishop Irénée and Bishop Gerasim. Clergy from the Georgian and Czech Lands and Slovakian representation churches also participated. The service was celebrated in Church Slavonic, English, and Georgian.
Both at the Vigil and at the Divine Liturgy, the church was densely packed and filled beyond capacity. The beauty of the Divine Services was elevated by the parish choir, which had prepared extensively for the feast.
Before the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Anthony blessed the parish’s newly restored iconostasis.
Following the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Gerasim read a message from His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, offering greetings on the occasion of the patronal feast and the consecration of the iconostasis.
Metropolitan Anthony expressed gratitude to Fr. Daniel, noting his pastoral labors and his efforts to beautify the church and strengthen ecclesiastical unity.