September
14, 2009
Moscow:
The Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God arrived in Moscow
On
September 12, the greeting of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God
"of the Sign" took place at Sheremetyevo International
Airport.
The Icon
arrived in Moscow at 2:20 PM local time, accompanied by a delegation
of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia from New York.
The
bringing of the miraculous icon to Russia took place with the blessing
of His Holiness, Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow and all Russia. The
delegation of clergy from the U.S. was led by the First Hierarch of
ROCOR, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York Hilarion, who
brought the holy relic out of the plane and triumphantly handed it to
Metropolitan Yuvenaliy of Krutitsa and Kolomna.
Handing
over the icon, Metropolitan Hilarion noted, Передавая
икону, Митрополит Иларион отметил:
"One of the great sacred objects of the Russian Orthodox Church
has returned to Russia - the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God
"of the Sign." This icon has great meaning for the life of
every Orthodox person. She shelters us before the fair of the Lord,
and opens for every searching soul the path to the light. I call upon
all of the faithful to come to church to venerate this great holy
icon."
On behalf
of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Yuvenaliy said, "The
return of the icon to Russia is a great historical event, which bears
witness to the fact that Russia is once again taking on the image of
Holy Russia. This should facilitate the unification of all of the
faithful."
On the
threshold of the arrival of the icon all services at Sheremetyevo
Airport were moved to high alert. Airport administration organized the
greeting of the delegation and provided for speedy processing of all
formalities. High measures of precaution were undertaken for the
greeting.
From
September 12 to 23, the icon will be in the Cathedral of Christ the
Savior in Moscow. On September 23, a Divine Liturgy will be celebrated
in the Cathedral, after which the icon will be flown to Kursk, where
the festivities marking the arrival of the icon will be led by His
Holiness, Patriarch Kyrill. The icon will be in Kursk until her return
to the United States on October 2.
Press
Service of the Moscow Patriarchate
www.patriarchia.ru
The following
clerics of the Eastern American Diocese are members of the ROCOR
delegation traveling with the Kursk icon:
-
Bishop
George of Mayfield
-
Mitred
Archpriest Victor Potapov
Rector of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, D.C.
-
Archpriest
Serge Lukianov
Secretary of the Eastern American Diocese
-
Archpriest
Serafim Gan
Secretary of the First Hierarch
-
Archpriest
George Zelenin
Rector of Archangel Michael Church in Paterson, NJ
-
Hieromonk
Roman (Krassovsky)
Cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery
-
Priest
Alexandre Anchoutine
Rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin
in Glen Cove, NY
-
Priest
Serge Ledkovsky
Deputy Rector of St. Vladimir Memorial Church in Jackson, NJ
-
Аrchdeacon
Eugene Burbelo
Cleric of the Synodal Cathedral
-
Protodeacon
Joseph Jarostchuk
Cleric of St. John of Kronstadt Church in Utica, NY
-
Protodeacon
Victor Lochmatow
Cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery
