Notes from Met. Jonah's visit to Russia, installment 6

A visit to the Laura of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

(st-catherine.ru) - On January 20th, 2011, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada, currently on a visit to the Russian Orthodox Church, arrived in the Laura of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church in America was met at the gates by Archbishop Yevgeniy of Vereya, rector of the Moscow Theological Schools. Metropolitan Jonah venerated the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the Cathedral of the Trinity and other holy sites of the Laura, and saw the exhibits of the Church Archeological Museum at the Moscow Theological Academy.

His Beatitude Jonah met with the students at the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God located in the Academy. He told the students about prospects of exchange between the Moscow Theological Schools and St. Vladimir’s Theological Seminary in New York, USA.

The delegation was met at the Academy by its vice-rector, hegumen Vassian (Zmeyev), and assistant rector, protodeacon Igor Mikhailov. The visit completed with a talk at the refectory.

Among those accompanying His Beatitude Jonah were Bishop Aleksandr of Dmitrov, Bishop Melchizedek of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania (Orthodox Church in America), and archimandrite Zacchaeus (Wood), the OCA representative to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

A visit to St Andrew the First Called Foundation

Veneration of the Relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov

(st-catherine.ru) - The Metropolitan of All America and Canada together with the delegation accompanying him traveled to the Holy Trinity-St Seraphim Diveyevo Convent where they were met by Archbishop GEORGY and the Convent’s Abbess, Igumenia Sergeia. Following a short rest in the Hierarchal Guesthouse, His Beatitude processed to the convent’s main cathedral where he was able to venerate the holy relics of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov. After venerating the holy relics, Metropolitan JONAH entered the altar where he greeted the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church who arrived in Diveyevo to participate in the festal Divine Services.