PARIS: February 13, 2009
The Church of the Three Hierarchs in Paris Celebrates Its Feast Day 

The Church of the Three Hierarchs in Paris, France, the center of the Diocese of Korsun, marked its feast day on February 12, 2009. Divine Liturgy was led by His Eminence Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun, His Grace Bishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia), and His Grace Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria, Head Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the European Union. Also participating in Liturgy were clergymen of the Diocese of Korsun and of other Local Orthodox Churches. A.K. Orlov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to France, also attended.  

Archbishop Innokenty, as he greeted Bishop Michael and Bishop Hilarion, noted the importance of concelebration and common prayer among the bishops of the Russian Church in Europe. He also gave his hierarchal blessing to the worshipers and expressed his congratulations to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, with whom he had spoken by telephone.  

Bishop Michael passed on congratulatory words from His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, and presented a gift to Three Hierarch Church of an icon of the Saints of Helvetica painted by iconographers of the Diocese of Geneva and Western Europe. 

A reception was held at the Diocesan hall after Liturgy. His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of the Greek Metropoliate of the Constantinople Patriarchate in France attended all-night vigil on the eve of the holiday.