KURSK: October 1, 2015
The Delegation of the Russian Church Abroad Participates in Feast-Day Celebrations of the Church of SS Vera, Nadezhda, Lubov and Sophia

On September 30, 2015, the feast day of SS Vera, Nadezhda, Lubov and their mother Sophia, His Eminence Metropolitan German of Kursk and Rylsk and His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, heading a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, officiated at Divine Liturgy at a church dedicated to the saints in north-west Kursk, Russia.

The hierarchs were joined by Protopriest Andrei Ivanov, Rector of the parish, Secretary of the Kursk Diocesan Administration and Dean of the 2nd Deanery; Archimandrite Simeon (Tomachinsky), Dean of Kursk Theological Seminary; Protopriest Vitaly Kireev, Rector of the Church of All Saints; Hieromonk Filipp (Sapronov), and ROCOR priests accompanying the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign.”

The church was wonderfully adorned for the event. Most of the worshipers in attendance partook of the Holy Gifts of Christ, among them many who were celebrating their namesday.

Metropolitan German ordained seminarian Yakov Matrosov, Secretary of the Scholarly Committee of Kursk Seminary, to the rank of deacon during the service. Afterwards, a procession of the cross and a moleben to the saints took place.

Vladyka German then delivered a sermon, congratulating the worshipers on the parish feast day and suggested that they emulate the faith of SS Vera, Nadezhda, Lyubov and Sophia, who are examples of how Christians must bear the cross they are given, noting that the day’s celebrations were particularly joyous as they were held during the visit of the miracle-working Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God. He also thanked Vladyka Nicholas for the joint service and gave him a commemorative panaghia as a gift.