A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 28 - Tuesday, July 13th, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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His Holiness Patriarch Alexy arrives in St. Petersburg for primatial visit
At the Pulkovo airport, the Primate of the Russian Church was met by Metropolitan Vladimir of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, Archbishop Constantine of Tikhvin, St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matveyenko, Presidential Envoy for the North-West Federal Region I. Klebanov, St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly Speaker V. Tiulpanov, and Leningrad Region Vice-Governor N. Pustonin. Responding to the warm welcome given by the meeting party, Patriarch Alexy said in particular: 'I always come to St. Petersburg with a special feeling, because I have many personal remembrances of this city. Here I studied in what was then the Leningrad Theological Seminary and Academy. This city is also associated with four memorable years of my ministry as metropolitan at a time when the spiritual regeneration of the Fatherland began. Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko and I have recalled just now how much effort it took to revive church life in closed and defiled churches adapted to all kinds of economic needs. 'But, thank God, the years of persecution and godlessness are now in the past. Today is the time to gather the stones which were so unwisely scattered before. I believe, many compatriots are aware today of how important it is for us to return to the traditional spiritual and moral values of our people. These values will help people to find solid guidelines in their life and to be honest and conscientious workers in the great cause of building a new Russia, for we all are responsible for the future of our country and people. What this future will be depends in many ways on all of us, including authorities, both secular and religious. 'I see in the return to Russia of the miracle-working Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God a significant historical event which I would describe as epoch-making in its spiritual significance. The first city to be visited by the miracle-working icon was the Latvian capital city of Riga, the place from which the shrine began its long journey abroad. Then the icon was taken to Moscow and now to St. Petersburg. The day after to-morrow, the great Orthodox Shrine will depart for the place where it was pleased to reveal itself to our devout ancestors in 1383. 'Let us just consider how many prayers, how many tears, how many spiritual sighs, sorrows and joys were brought to this icon of the Mother of God by those who used to come to venerate it with faith, hope and trust for centuries. It is impossible to assess this icon in any material equivalent, because its prayerfulness does not yield to any assessment. A tremendous number of people coming to venerate this icon, to prayer before it, to touch it, represents a visible evidence that people need spiritual support today as much as before. And the Tikhvin Icon, which has come back home to be the spiritual patroness of the Russian North-West, gives precisely this spiritual support. Its comeback is one of those great historic and spiritual events of which we are lucky to be witnesses. 'Once again I wholeheartedly greet the leaders of the North-West Federal Region, St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region. I greet all the people in St. Petersburg with whom I have special long-standing spiritual ties. Let me repeat that I come to visit this glorious and great city with a special feeling. 'I thank the mass media for the interest they have shown in our visit and the events taking place these days to celebrate the return of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God to our homeland. 'Thank you all.' Upon his arrival to the Northern capital city, His Holiness Alexy had a brief meeting with representatives of Russian and foreign mass media. The Patriarch proceeded from the airport to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan to venerate the miracle-working Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God there as well as the venerated copy of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God placed into the icon-screen of the cathedral. After saying a brief prayer at the Tikhvin Icon, His Holiness addressed the numerous local Orthodox worshippers and pilgrims, saying: 'Dear brothers and Sisters, I believe, we all see in the return of the miracle-working Icon of the Heavenly Queen a great blessing from God. And the fact that Orthodox believers in Moscow and now in St. Petersburg have been given an opportunity to pray before this miracle-working icon and to kiss it is also a sing of God's mercy towards us. The Tikhvin Icon was pleased to appear in the Russian land in the 14th century. For almost six centuries, it protected the north-western frontiers of Russia, but for the last six decades it stayed outside our Fatherland. 'It is difficult even to imagine how many sighs, how many prayers, how many hopes were lifted up by those who came to this great shrine with faith and hope beginning from 1383 when this miracle-working icon of the Mother of God first appeared before our people. Today we are given a new opportunity to venerate the shrine charged with the prayers of many generations of our ancestors. 'For Orthodox people in St. Petersburg, the days during which the Tikhvin Icon has stayed first in the Trinity Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky's Monastery and then in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan are also manifestations of God's special mercy because many thousands of believers have been given an opportunity to pray before it. 'Today the Church celebrates the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Celebrating the Divine Liturgy this morning, we prayed that the Heavenly Queen might preserve our Fatherland, the Holy Church and all the people of our much-suffered Motherland in peace, prosperity and harmony. Every one of you, I believe, comes to the miracle-working Icon of the Mother of God with the same prayers. Each of you prays that the Most Holy Mother of God may relentlessly intercede for us, for our families, our relatives and friends, our Fatherland and our people. ' We see in the return of this shrine a sigh of special mercy that the Lord gives us. May this mercy and grace of God strengthen us in our lives. May the Lord, through the intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God, help every one of us to be Orthodox Christian not only in name but also in deed. Let us carry with patience the cross given by the Lord to each in his or her life, remembering that there is no cross that is beyond human power. 'Once again I greet Your Eminence, fellow-archpastors, all-honorable fathers and you all, dear brothers and sisters. I congratulate you on the joyful event we all are witnessing as the all-Russian shrine, the miracle-working Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, is coming back to our land'. Metropolitan Vladimir of St. Petersburg and Ladoga spoke in response, saying: 'Your Holiness, our great Master and Father, we thank you for coming to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan to venerate this holy Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God directly from the airport and in spite of the very difficult day you have had as you celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Moscow this morning and then made a trip to St. Petersburg. We thank you as our Primate who remembers us, loves us and does everything to help us, to bless us and to comfort us despite all the difficulties. 'I use this opportunity to report to you, Your Holiness, that I together with four clergymen of our diocese have fulfilled your blessing that the icon be brought from Chicago to St. Petersburg. We are especially pleased with the fact that you have seen this icon in our diocese in Petersburg, and we do not have to confirm that the icon was brought from Moscow to the northern capital city safely, because you are a witness to our fulfilling your instruction. Thank you, Your Holiness.
'Thank you, Your Holiness. We always pray for you and ask that the Lord may help you and keep for many years'.
His Holiness the Patriarch proceeded from the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan to St. John' Stauropegial Convent where he was welcomed with bread and salt at the holy gates by Mother Superior Seraphima (Voloshina) and the sisters.
His Holiness Patriarch Alexy venerated the relics
of St. John of Kronstadt at the burial-vault and
said a prayer at his shrine. Then he visited the
monastery's Church of St. John of Ryla and the
Cathedral of Twelve Apostles. After that, His
Holiness the Patriarch had a talk with the mother
superior and sisters of the famous convent, which
traditionally became the temporary residence for
His Holiness during his stay at the diocese of St.
Petersburg.
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