JERUSALEM: 4 May 2022
Bright Paschal celebrations in Russian Gethsemane

Under the sound of the bells of the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord, where the Holy Sepulcher of the Lord is, not far from the Russian monastery of St Mary Magdalene, the sisters and worshipers of Gethsemane church left the temple in a procession with the singing of “Thy Resurrection, Christ the Savior” on the holy night of Holy Pascha, adding the beautiful ringing of their own bells.

The Chief of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), led the procession and announced to the worshipers in front of the church that “Christ is risen.” With joy, the sisters of the monastery answered: “Truly He is Risen”! Opening the doors of the temple, the clergy and Abbess Elisabeth (Smelic) entered, bearing the icon of the Resurrection of Christ with her sisters. The bright matins of Holy Pascha followed. Father Roman, in turn with the clergy of the Mission – Hieromonk Misail (Minin), Hieromonk Theodore (Kirike), Priest Roman (Gultiaev) and Hierodeacon Amphilokhy (Mazur) loudly congratulated everyone with the salvific words: “Christ is risen”!

The Holy Liturgy followed immediately after Matins. At the service, the Holy Gospel was read in six languages: Greek, Russian, Romanian, Hebrew, English and Church Slavonic. According to St. John Chrysostom “The meal is prepared, enjoy it all,” all the worshippers partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.” After the service, everyone went with “merry feet” to the refectory to break their fast after the podvig of Great Lent.

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