A joint service of the clergy of the patriarchal parishes in the US and clerics of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, which took place at St Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York on 3 May, demonstrated the growing unity inside the Russian Orthodox Church. The Divine Liturgy on Saturday was the first event of this type since the signing of the act of canonical communion within the Russian Orthodox Church. This document ended an almost century-long division caused by the Russian revolution of 1917.
The restoration of church unity means much to thousands of Orthodox believers and also to the descendants of white émigrés, who were forced to leave Russia more than 80 years ago. Archbishop Gavriil of Blagoveshensk and Tynda commented on the event, saying, “Almost a year ago a very important thing happened. Two branches of the same church signed an act of reunification. Today, we finally have a unique chance to hold a joint service together and share the joy of Easter”.
The service involved over 60 clerics and hundreds of Orthodox believers attended. For the first time, the Kursk-Korennaya Icon of the Sign, which is considered to be the guardian of the Russians abroad since 1925, was displayed during the service. Bishop Merkury said, “This miraculous icon was taken from Russia to unite all Russian emigrants. That is why it is also called the custodian of all Russian believers abroad and is venerated so highly”.
“Joy and peace now reign supreme in our much-suffering Church,” Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow and all Russia noted in his message to the participants in the Easter festivities. “A united Church is the spiritual foundation of a revitalised Russia”, his message emphasised. “We look with hope to the future of our common Motherland”.
5 May 2008
Vyacheslav Solovyov
Voice of Russia World Service
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=26604&cid=59&p=05.05.2008 (in English)
