The following day of their departure, the Archbishop and members of the delegation were received at two of the most important monasteries in Moscow, the Danilov and the Donskoy. The Danilov, or St. Daniel Monastery, is the oldest in Moscow (see website at http://www.msdm.ru/eng/index.htm). The Archbishop was welcomed by the Abbot of the Monastery, Archimandrite Alexy, and given a tour of the Monastery Churches. Following this visit, the delegation departed the hotel for the Donskoy Monastery, which houses the relics of the Patriarch of Moscow, Saint Tikhon, who was at one time the Russian Orthodox Primate of North America (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tikhon_of_Moscow).
The Archbishop and delegation, accompanied by clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate, were received with flowers by Bishop Alexander of Mitrof, and the Abbot together with Hieromonks. The Archbishop was escorted into the main church, where a special Service of Thanksgiving was chanted before the relics of St. Tikhon. Following the service, the Archbishop was led on a tour of the famous Donskoy Monastery Cemetery, which includes 19th century tombs of Pontian Greeks, as well as a few examples of the original monumental statuary that survived the destruction of Christ the Savior Cathedral.
Following the tour of the Donskoy Monastery, the Archbishop was accompanied to the airport by Bishop Alexander and representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate.
GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106
Tel: (212) 570-3556
Web: http://www.goarch.org
Email:
Contact: Stavros Papagermanos