MOSCOW (20080527) – Archbishop Demetrios of America celebrated an historic Divine Liturgy in the Kremlin on Saturday, May 24th, the feast (on the Old Calendar) of Sts. Cyril and Methodios, the Apostles to the Slavs. The Archbishop served Divine Liturgy in the Dormition Cathedral of the Mother of God with Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia. Serving also were Metropolitan Methodios of Boston, Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, Bishop Savas of Troas, Fr. Mark Arey and Archdeacon Pandeleimon Papadopoulos. The remainder of the delegation attended the Liturgy with faithful who filled the Cathedral. When, as is the custom in the Russian Orthodox Church, the clergy greeted the Chief Celebrant after receiving Holy Communion, Patriarch Alexy warmly greeted the Archbishop, the Hierarchs and clergy of the Archdiocese. During the Divine Liturgy, the clergy of the Archdiocese were advanced in the seniority (in the cases where they did not already possess it) of the serving Bishops, Priests and Deacons, as an honor paid to the Archbishop, who was already in the position of honor next to the Patriarch.
Following the Divine Liturgy, the Archbishop and the delegation were hosted, together with 100 dignitaries and clergy, at a Banquet offered by Patriarch Alexy in his official residence within the walls of the Danilovsky Monastery. In his toast, Archbishop Demetrios congratulated the Patriarch, wishing him “Many Years,” and noted his own connection with the celebration both as Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the ecclesiastical fountainhead of the Russian Orthodox Church, and as a son of Thessaloniki, the birthplace of the Saints of the day.
Although relatively small in comparison with other churches, the Dormition Cathedral (Uspensky Sobor) is enormously important in the history of Russian Orthodoxy. The Cathedral, built starting in the 14th century, was the site of the coronation of the Tsars of Russia, even when the capital was transferred to St. Petersburg under Peter the Great. Filled with ancient frescoes and icons, the Cathedral was turned into a museum during the Soviet era, but was restored to the Russian Orthodox Church after the fall of Communism.
The annual commemoration of Slavic Letters Day – a National Holiday in Russia celebrated on the Feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodios, is in recognition of the source both of Orthodox Faith and Slavic Culture in the Russian land, which commenced with St. Photios the Great, Patriarch of Constantinople sending the two monastic brothers from Thessaloniki, Sts, Cyril and Methodios, on their apostolic mission of evangelization of the Slavic peoples. To this day, even the name “Cyrillic Alphabet,” testifies to the strength of the connection of Orthodox Faith and Culture in Russia.
GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2008
Contact: Stavros Papagermanos
Tel.: 212.570.3556