Concelebration of the Two Missions on the Anniversary of the Signing of the Act of Canonical Communion

May 4/17, on the day of the seventeenth anniversary of the restoration of full fraternal communion in the local Russian OrMay 4/17, on the day of the seventeenth anniversary of the restoration of full fraternal communion in the local Russian Orthodox Church, the heads of the two missions, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeev) head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission of the Moscow Patriarchate and Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), head of the REM as part of the Russian Church Abroad with the clergy the fraternal communities served Divine Liturgy at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Jerusalem. Archimandrite Vassian led the Liturgy. 7 clergymen from the Moscow Patriarchate and 6 from the Church Abroad served.

During the service, prayers were read for Holy Rus' and also for the “Prosperity of the Russian Orthodox Church” (thanksgiving for the unity of the Russian Church). Prayers for the blessed repose of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and Metropolitan Laurus and all those who worked for the good of the reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church were intoned. A moleben of thanksgiving was served after liturgy.

Attending and praying at the service were Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Israel A.D. Viktorov with embassy staff. Abbess’ Ekaterina (Chernysheva), Elisaveta (Smelic) and Varvara (Novikova) with the sisters of the Gornensky, Gethsemane and Olivet convents and nun Maria (Wall) with the sisters of the Bethany community also were present.

After the prayer service Fr. Vassian in his speech pointed out how, by God’s providence, unity was achieved in the Russian Church before today’s growing evil attacks against the Orthodox Church with all its might, trying to break its unity. Fr. Roman, speaking the words “Christ is in our midst,” pointed out the importance of having God’s love among ourselves, for this is the only weapon against the enemies of the Church. Mr. A.D. Viktorov also congratulated everyone participating at the anniversary and drew attention to the fact that “the restoration of the unity of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in 2007 was not just a reconciliation of believers, but an unprecedented example of overcoming a seemingly deep-rooted schism,” but has given rise to the development of cooperation between two Missions. The Ambassador also proposed readiness “to further build up a multifaceted partnership with both Missions in the interests of implementing Russia’s constant course of preserving and enhancing its spiritual and cultural presence in the Holy Land, protecting the interests of Christians and promoting the establishment of peace and stability in the Middle East region.”

Following, at the meal, it was learned that, although they were not acquaintances at the time, both Chief’s of the Missions: Fr. Roman and Fr. Vassian, took part in celebrations in Moscow in 2007, somehow foreshadowing today's celebration.thodox Church, the heads of the two missions, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeev) head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission of the Moscow Patriarchate and Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), head of the REM as part of the Russian Church Abroad with the clergy the fraternal communities served Divine Liturgy at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Jerusalem. Archimandrite Vassian led the Liturgy. 7 clergymen from the Moscow Patriarchate and 6 from the Church Abroad served.

During the service, prayers were read for Holy Rus' and also for the “Prosperity of the Russian Orthodox Church” (thanksgiving for the unity of the Russian Church). Prayers for the blessed repose of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and Metropolitan Laurus and all those who worked for the good of the reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church were intoned. A moleben of thanksgiving was served after liturgy.

Attending and praying at the service were Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Israel A.D. Viktorov with embassy staff. Abbess’ Ekaterina (Chernysheva), Elisaveta (Smelic) and Varvara (Novikova) with the sisters of the Gornensky, Gethsemane and Olivet convents and nun Maria (Wall) with the sisters of the Bethany community also were present.

After the prayer service Fr. Vassian in his speech pointed out how, by God’s providence, unity was achieved in the Russian Church before today’s growing evil attacks against the Orthodox Church with all its might, trying to break its unity. Fr. Roman, speaking the words “Christ is in our midst,” pointed out the importance of having God’s love among ourselves, for this is the only weapon against the enemies of the Church. Mr. A.D. Viktorov also congratulated everyone participating at the anniversary and drew attention to the fact that “the restoration of the unity of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in 2007 was not just a reconciliation of believers, but an unprecedented example of overcoming a seemingly deep-rooted schism,” but has given rise to the development of cooperation between two Missions. The Ambassador also proposed readiness “to further build up a multifaceted partnership with both Missions in the interests of implementing Russia’s constant course of preserving and enhancing its spiritual and cultural presence in the Holy Land, protecting the interests of Christians and promoting the establishment of peace and stability in the Middle East region.”

Following, at the meal, it was learned that, although they were not acquaintances at the time, both Chief’s of the Missions: Fr. Roman and Fr. Vassian, took part in celebrations in Moscow in 2007, somehow foreshadowing today's celebration.