BETHLEHEM: August 9, 2017
Pilgrims of the Russian Church Abroad From the USA, Canada and Australia, Led by Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, Participate in Divine Liturgy at the Basilica of the Nativity of Christ

On Monday, August 7, 2017, pilgrims from the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in the USA, Canada and Australia, led by His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, participated in Divine Liturgy celebrated at the Basilica of the Nativity of Christ. Officiating was His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim, a retired hierarch of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Liturgy was performed on the very site of the Birth o Christ, a cave under the ancient basilica.

Afterwards, Metropolitan Joachim expressed his joy over the joint prayer and shared a trapeza luncheon with the pilgrims.

Later that day, the pilgrims visited the monasteries of St Theodosius the Great at St Sabbas the Sanctified.

The next day, Bishop Nicholas met with Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), Chief of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem of ROCOR. They discussed the state of Affairs in the REM and the forthcoming celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin). The meeting concluded with a visit to the Orthodox Bethany School.