MOSCOW: February 20, 2008
Metropolitan Laurus And the ROCOR Delegates Visit St Catherine Representation Church of the OCA

On the evening of Wednesday, February 20, 2008, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus and the delegates of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia visited Moscow's St Catherine Representation Church of the Orthodox Church in America. Here His Eminence was ceremoniously greeted by Archimandrite Zacchaeus (Wood), and the clergy and parishioners of St Catherine. His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland then, together with the church clergymen, performed a moleben to the Most-Holy Mother of God, St Catherine the Great Martyr and St John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco before an icon of the holy bishop, which recently had a relic of his uncorrupt and healing relics installed. This icon was given as a gift to Fr Zacchaeus by His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America. A moleben is performed here weekly to St John, who is more and more venerated by the Muscovite faithful.

At the end of the service, Archimandrite Zacchaeus welcomed the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and gave His Eminence an icon of "The Lamb of God." In his response, Vladyka Laurus invoked God's blessing upon Fr Zacchaeus, the clergymen, parishioners and worshipers of St Catherine's Church. As Many Years was sung, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus blessed everyone with the cross. Afterwards, the delegation of the Russian Church Abroad visited the nearby shop Tserkovniye tkani ["Church Fabrics"]. During the trapeza that followed, held in a warm and gregarious atmosphere, greetings were read by Metropolitan Laurus, His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany, His Grace Bishop Gabriel of Manhattan, Bishop Peter, Fr Zacchaeus, Protopriest Serafim Gan, Protodeacon Joseph Jarostchuk and Protopriest Victor Lochmatov as well as St Catherine's clergymen.