BELGRADE: 13 June 2024
The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad celebrates Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Church

On Wednesday, 12 June, 2024, the Leavetaking of the Feast of Holy Pascha, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, officiated at Divine Liturgy celebrated at Holy Trinity Church, built by Russian emigres in Belgrade 100 years ago.

Metropolitan Nicholas was joined by His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany; His Grace Bishop Ilarion of Novo Brdo, Vicar of His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije, Prior of the Monastery Visoki Decani; Archpriest Vitaly Tarasjev, Rector of the Church, and clergymen of the Serbian Church and Russian Church Abroad. Praying and communing of the Holy Gifts in the altar were His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada and His Grace Bishop Job of Stuttgart.

The divine service was held under in the presence of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign.”

At the end of Liturgy, Fr Vitaly welcomed the Primate of the Russian Church Abroad, expressing his joy for his service at the church, where his predecessors had once prayed: Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) of blessed memory and Metropolitan Anastassy (Gribanovsky)of blessed memory, and gave him a gift of an icon of the “Decani” Mother of God. Metropolitan Nicholas then addressed those present with a greeting and words of guidance, giving Fr Vitaly a copy of the Kursk-Root Icon in an embroidered riza which once adorned the miracle-working icon.

After tea in the parish house, the ROCOR delegation headed for Novoje Cemetery in Belgrade. There His Eminence served a memorial litiya at the crypt of Metropolitan Anthrony and Archimandrite Feodosy (Melnik).

That evening the delegation prayed with a host of archpastors and clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church led by His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije at a magnificent vigil at Ascension of the Savior Church in Belgrade in the presence of the Kursk-Root Icon and the relics of St Justin (Popovic) of Celije. His Holiness then hosted a dinner for the guests.

Metropolitan Nicholas is accompanied by members of the Synod of Bishops: His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany, His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, His Eminence Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America, His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe, His Grace Bishop Job of Stuttgart, as well as Protopriest Serafim Gan, Chancellor of the Synod of Bishops and Secretary of the First Hierarch of ROCOR, as well as Archpriest Luka Novakovic and Archpriest Ljubo Milosevic, cleric of the Eastern American Diocese, Secretary of the Diocese of Mid-America, Archpriest Gregory Joyce, and Reader George Konev.