On Saturday, August 30 / September 12, a solemn service was served in the church of St. Alexander Nevsky «at the Russian Excavations» for the sake of the feastday of the transfer of the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky from Vladimir to St. Petersburg.
On the eve of the feastday, Archimandrite Vasily (Druzhinets), a priest of the Ascension Monastery on the Mount of Olives, co-served by priest Roman Gultyaev, celebrated the all-night vigil.
At 8:00 am on the very day of the feast, the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky) was greeted at the doors of the church. Afterwards, Fr. Roman led the Divine Liturgy. The choir of sisters of the Gethsemane Monastery of St. Mary Magdalene sang under the direction of sister Alexandra. During the Liturgy, many pilgrims and worshipers received Holy Communion from two chalices. The head of the Mission preached upon the words of the glorified saint «God is not perceived in power, but in truth!»
