MOSCOW: February 1, 2015
Divine Liturgy is Celebrated on the Sixth Anniversary of the Enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia

On February 1, 2015, the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, the sixth anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Divine Liturgy was celebrated at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow.

With the blessing of His Holiness, the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God “the Hodigitria,” having been recently professionally restored, was brought out for veneration. This miracle-working icon will remain in Christ the Savior Cathedral where the faithful can venerate it until February 10 , after which it will be returned to Uspensky Cathedral in Smolensk, where it has been since the early 17 th century.

The Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church were joined in the service, besides hierarchs of the Moscow Patriarchate, His Eminence Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Ukraine; His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, and other bishops gathered for the Conference of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church served in the vestments in which he was enthroned.

After the augmented litany, the Patriarch raised prayers for peace in Ukraine.

After Liturgy, Metropolitan Onouphry congratulated His Holiness on behalf of the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church and gave him a gift of an icon of the Savior.
The Patriarch then read a sermon to all those gathered in the cathedral.

His Holiness then presented awards to several hierarchs, including His Eminence Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America of the Russian Church Abroad, who received a panaghia in recognition of his archpastoral labors and his 60 th birthday.

On February 2, 2015, the Conference of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church convened at Christ the Savior Cathedral, presided over by Patiarch Kirill.

Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia