HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH KIRILL PARTICIPATES IN CELEBRATIONS ON THE OCCASION OF CONSECRATION OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH COMPLEX IN MOSCOW
Russian Orthodox Church, Russia
Sept 26 2013
On 17 September 2013, a solemn ceremony of the consecration of the
church complex belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church took place
in Moscow, in Trifonovskaya Street.
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians officiated
at the consecration. Attending the celebration was His Holiness
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
At the main gate of the church complex, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill
was met by Bishop Ezras (Nersisyan), head of the New Nakhichevan and
Russia diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Among the honorary guests of the ceremony were Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan, hierarchs of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Russian
and Armenian statesmen, representatives of Christian confessions and
the Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist communities.
His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II addressed the participants and
numerous guests of the celebrations. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill
also greeted all those present, saying in particular:
"With a special feeling, I would like to greet the Armenian community
in Russia on the occasion of this momentous historical event. We know
that in hard times the Armenian community had endured as much suffering
as other Christian communities in our country, and the churches erected
by the Armenian people in the territory of Russia were often subjected
to destruction. Such fate befell the Armenian churches in Moscow and
when, much later, the Armenians got an opportunity to gather together
for prayer, it was in a small chapel in the Armenian part of the
Vagankovskoye Cemetery. We know that the size and appearance of the
chapel could not meet the real needs of the Armenian community. And I
would like to express my gratitude to You, Your Holiness, and to His
Grace Bishop Ezras for the efforts you have made to build a church
in Moscow which by its size and splendor would satisfy the needs of
the large Armenian community living in the territory of the Russian
Federation and in Moscow in particular...
"Our Churches - the Russian Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic
Church - have been maintaining fraternal cooperation for centuries.
This Christian foundation forms a common platform which helps the
Armenian and Russian people to develop their spiritual life... I am
deeply convinced that the further development of relations between
the Russian Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church,
our joint work and projects will foster the spiritual growth of our
people and, therefore, contribute to strengthening bonds between our
nations - the bonds which are stronger than any political and economic
relationships. For we know that there were times when no political
or economic relations existed but people lived in peace and respect,
treating each other as brothers and sisters. God willing, the spiritual
growth of the Russian and Armenian people will contribute, among other
things, to strengthening brotherly relations between our nations and
countries. I would like to wholeheartedly greet You, Your Holiness,
and all those present on the occasion of such remarkable celebration."
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Patriarch Kirill, Catholicos
Karekin and President Serzh Sargsyan opened a monument symbolizing
fraternal relationships between the Russian Orthodox Church and the
Armenian Apostolic Church.
https://mospat.ru/en/2013/09/18/news91121/
From: Baghdasarian
Russian Orthodox Church, Russia
Sept 26 2013
On 17 September 2013, a solemn ceremony of the consecration of the
church complex belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church took place
in Moscow, in Trifonovskaya Street.
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians officiated
at the consecration. Attending the celebration was His Holiness
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
At the main gate of the church complex, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill
was met by Bishop Ezras (Nersisyan), head of the New Nakhichevan and
Russia diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Among the honorary guests of the ceremony were Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan, hierarchs of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Russian
and Armenian statesmen, representatives of Christian confessions and
the Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist communities.
His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II addressed the participants and
numerous guests of the celebrations. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill
also greeted all those present, saying in particular:
"With a special feeling, I would like to greet the Armenian community
in Russia on the occasion of this momentous historical event. We know
that in hard times the Armenian community had endured as much suffering
as other Christian communities in our country, and the churches erected
by the Armenian people in the territory of Russia were often subjected
to destruction. Such fate befell the Armenian churches in Moscow and
when, much later, the Armenians got an opportunity to gather together
for prayer, it was in a small chapel in the Armenian part of the
Vagankovskoye Cemetery. We know that the size and appearance of the
chapel could not meet the real needs of the Armenian community. And I
would like to express my gratitude to You, Your Holiness, and to His
Grace Bishop Ezras for the efforts you have made to build a church
in Moscow which by its size and splendor would satisfy the needs of
the large Armenian community living in the territory of the Russian
Federation and in Moscow in particular...
"Our Churches - the Russian Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic
Church - have been maintaining fraternal cooperation for centuries.
This Christian foundation forms a common platform which helps the
Armenian and Russian people to develop their spiritual life... I am
deeply convinced that the further development of relations between
the Russian Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church,
our joint work and projects will foster the spiritual growth of our
people and, therefore, contribute to strengthening bonds between our
nations - the bonds which are stronger than any political and economic
relationships. For we know that there were times when no political
or economic relations existed but people lived in peace and respect,
treating each other as brothers and sisters. God willing, the spiritual
growth of the Russian and Armenian people will contribute, among other
things, to strengthening brotherly relations between our nations and
countries. I would like to wholeheartedly greet You, Your Holiness,
and all those present on the occasion of such remarkable celebration."
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Patriarch Kirill, Catholicos
Karekin and President Serzh Sargsyan opened a monument symbolizing
fraternal relationships between the Russian Orthodox Church and the
Armenian Apostolic Church.
https://mospat.ru/en/2013/09/18/news91121/
From: Baghdasarian