 |
(mospat.ru) - On December 8, 2011, the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia marked the 60th anniversary since it was granted canonical autocephaly by the Russian Orthodox Church. On that day, solemn celebrations devoted to the anniversary took place in Prague.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated at St. Nicholas’s in Staromestska Square by His Beatitude Christopher, Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. Among this con-celebrants were Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, hierarchs of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and Polish Orthodox Church, as well as numerous clergy. Present in the church were also representatives of non-Orthodox confessions in Czechia.
The Moscow Synodal Choir sang hymns by Tchaikovsky, which were heard in that church for the first time in 1888.
After the Post-communion Prayer, Metropolitan Hilarion read out a congratulatory letter from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Church. As a token of the event, Metropolitan Hilarion presented Metropolitan Christopher with an icon of Our Lady of Kazan, on behalf of Patriarch Kirill.
After the service, a grand reception took place, during which Metropolitan Hilarion warmly congratulated Metropolitan Christopher and all the present on the significant jubilee of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
Patriarch Kirill's congratulatory letter to Metropolitan Christopher
To: His Beatitude Christopher
Archbishop of Prague
Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia
Your Beatitude,
Beloved Bother and Con-celebrant at God’s altar:
On behalf of the archpastors, clergy, monastics and laity of the Russian Orthodox Church, I would like to cordially congratulate you and the whole God-loving Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia gathered under your omophorion on the 60th anniversary of her autocephalous life, the beginning of which was made by the historical decree of the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate on November 23, 1951.
The rebirth of holy Orthodoxy in the Czech Lands and Slovakia has become in important event in the modern history of Eastern Europe, pointing to the unconquerable vital power of Orthodox faith which was brought to the Moravian vast lands by the great Slavic illuminators.
Concerned for her forefathers’ faith taking root in the places where of Sts Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-the-Apostles preached, the Russian Orthodox Church blessed an autocephalous life of the Czechoslovakian Orthodox Church as a grace-giving continuer of their work and accepted her in the family of Local Orthodox Churches.
In our days, the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia takes pastoral care of the multinational flock living in the two independent states. In her desire that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honoured (2 Thes. 3:1), she bears witness to the truths of holy Orthodoxy before a multitude of people, developing actively her missionary work, religious education and social service.
Your Beatitude and Most Reverend archpastors of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia are frequent and always welcome guests of the Russian Orthodox Church. Our two Churches have worked together in the name of the unity of universal Orthodoxy, making a worthy contribution to the solution of problems on the agenda of the Orthodox community today.
Your Beatitude, through your efforts the spiritual ties between the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and the Russian Orthodox Church, which once was her Mother and today is her beloved Sister, are not weakening but continue strengthening and unfolding in their innermost depths and inner magnificence.
On this solemn and joyful day, I prayerfully wish peace and prosperity to the devoted flock of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and sound health, fullness of spiritual gifts and God’s inexhaustible help to you in your primatial ministry.
With brotherly love in the Lord,
+ Kirill
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
Posts
…what’s with those red chalices on their chests?
ReplyDeleteI expect Protestant visitors.
ReplyDeleteHusites.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting in the history of the Moravian church (and their wars against the excesses of the Catholic church during the Hussite Wars, in the 1400s), that the Hussites appealed to the Orthodox church for recognition, offering to join the Eastern church. From what I've read, the reply came too late for any major influence in events. It is reassuring to see that time has corrected these oversights.
ReplyDelete