Moscow representatives meet with Old Believers

(mospat.ru) - According to the established tradition, the Old Belief Metropolia of Moscow (Russia Orthodox Old Belief Church) holds annual celebrations on the Sunday of Myrrh-Bearing Women to commemorate the Emperor Nicholas II’s decree to unseal sanctuaries in the churches at the Rogozhsky Cemetery. On this day, a solemn service is conducted at the Cathedral of the Intercession for which clergy and laity come together from various parts of Russia and near-abroad countries.

The celebrations usually include a recital of church hymns, which took place on 18 April 2010. The performance was given by the Moscow cathedral choir, the choirs of the Ostozhenka and Rzhev Parishes, the diocese of Moldova and singing Siberian parishes, the choirs of the Velikoretsky Procession with the Cross, the Moscow theological college and the Metropolitan Alimpy Choir, Nizhniy Novgorod region. The audience noted a noticeable growth in their performance skills and the prevalence of young people in the choirs.

Present at the recital was Rev. Ioann Miroliubov, secretary of the commission for Old Belief parishes and cooperation with the Old Belief community. He extended congratulations to the Metropolitan Korniliy of Moscow and All Russia and conveyed him best wishes from the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk.