Church Bulletin - Holy Trinity Church, Egg Harbor Township, NJ

Archbishop Demetrios Concludes Visit to Moscow
May 29, 2008

Archbishop Demetrios of America and the members of the official delegation concluded their official visit to the Russian Orthodox Church on Wednesday, May 28th, by visiting two of the most famous monasteries in Moscow. The evening before their departure, the Archbishop and the members of the delegation were received by the Mayor of Moscow, Yury Luzkhov, who has been Mayor for over 15 years.

The delegation was welcomed to the Mayoral Official Residence, a 200 year old structure just a short walk from the Kremlin by the Vice-Mayor of Moscow, Valery Vinogradov. Vice-Mayor Vinogradov introduced His Eminence and the delegation to Mayor Luzkhov. The Mayor then, accompanied by press and staff, led the Archbishop and the delegation into the Ceremonial Hall of the Mayoral Residence for a formal welcome, refreshment and discussion. The Hall is dominated by a huge symbol of St. George the Trophy-Bearer, the patron Saint of Moscow, and copies of important Classical Greek sculpture. In the dialogue that followed, both the Mayor and the Archbishop commented on the importance of the reconstruction of the Christ the Savior Cathedral, a project in which the Mayor had been deeply involved. The Mayor gifted the Archbishop with a commemorative crystal bowl featuring the Cathedral, and the Archbishop reciprocated with a silver commemorative plate from the Archdiocese.

The following day of their departure, the Archbishop and members of the delegation were received at two of the most important monasteries in Moscow, the Danilov and the Donskoy. The Danilov, or St. Daniel Monastery, is the oldest in Moscow (see website at http://www.msdm.ru/eng/index.htm). The Archbishop was welcomed by the Abbot of the Monastery, Archimandrite Alexy, and given a tour of the Monastery Churches. Following this visit, the delegation departed the hotel for the Donskoy Monastery, which houses the relics of the Patriarch of Moscow, Saint Tikhon, who was at one time the Russian Orthodox Primate of North America (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tikhon_of_Moscow).

The Archbishop and delegation, accompanied by clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate, were received with flowers by Bishop Alexander of Mitrof, and the Abbot together with Hieromonks. The Archbishop was escorted into the main church, where a special Service of Thanksgiving was chanted before the relics of St. Tikhon. Following the service, the Archbishop was led on a tour of the famous Donskoy Monastery Cemetery, which includes 19th century tombs of Pontian Greeks, as well as a few examples of the original monumental statuary that survived the destruction of Christ the Savior Cathedral.

Following the tour of the Donskoy Monastery, the Archbishop was accompanied to the airport by Bishop Alexander and representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate.

For photos of these events and the visit of Archbishop Demetrios and the delegation from the Archdiocese visit:

http://www.photos.goarch.org/main.php?g2_itemId=21

Contact: Stavros Papagermanos
Tel.: 212.570.3556

Archbishop Demetrios Received at State Duma - Delegation Visits Philanthropic Institution of Moscow Patriarchate
May 27, 2008

Archbishop Demetrios of America was received at the State Duma of the Russian Federation on Monday, May 26th, together with the accompanying Hierarchs and members of the delegation. Before the official visit to the parliament of the Russian Federation, the Archbishop, accompanied by officials of the Moscow Patriarchate, visited the Central Hospital of the Moscow Patriarchate, a Church philanthropic institution restored to Church ownership only in the last decade.

The Archbishop and delegation were received at the gate of the hospital grounds by administrators of the hospital and the spiritual father of institution, Archpriest Arcady. The clergy escorted the delegation immediately to the main chapel of the facility, dedicated to Saint Alexy of Moscow, where over 100 high school pre-nursing students of the reestablished “Sisters of Mercy” were awaiting the Archbishop with flowers and hymns. As they lifted their voices in singing “Christ is Risen” (“Christos Voskrese”), prayers of thanksgiving were offered. Fr. Arcady officially welcomed the Archbishop and delegation on behalf of the doctors, nurses and administration of the hospital.

The Archbishop introduced the members of the delegation one by one, saving for last Mrs. Aphrodite Skeadas, Treasurer of National Philoptochos, who made a presentation of $25,000 to the hospital. In her remarks, Mrs. Skeadas gave greetings on behalf of the more that 27,000 women of Philoptochos throughout the Archdiocese of America. Offering in her address these words of explanation of the purpose of the organization to the very attentive young women of the “Sisters of Mercy” high school program, she said:

“The women of Philoptochos aspire to their mission and honor their devotion to our Risen Lord by using their faith, gifts, abilities, compassion and love to improve their families, their Orthodox communities, contemporary society and the world”.

Following the presentation of the Philoptochos gift to the Hospital, the more than 100 young women of the “Sisters of Mercy” program chanted – to the delight and surprise of the delegation – the famous hymn of St. Nektarios of Aegina, “Agni Parthene,” (in Greek) in honor of the day. The students then came forward one by one to receive the blessing of the Archbishop, and the delegation proceeded to a tour of the Hospital while “Christ is Risen” was chanted.

During the visit of the hospital, Archbishop Demetrios personally greeted some of the patients on the neurological ward, blessing them and sharing a pastoral moment with them. As the delegation has two physicians, Dr. Antoine Harovas and Dr. Anthony Limberakis, there were also discussions related to the healthcare system in Russia that started in the halls of the hospital and continued at a reception offered to the delegation by Fr. Arcady. As in all the visits on this pilgrimage, the hospitality and gifts were only equaled by the warmth and respect afforded the Archbishop and all the members of the delegation.

After the visit to the hospital, the delegation departed for the State Duma, the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, where the Archbishop was received by the Deputy Chairman, Liubov K. Sliska and various members and officials. As Deputy Chairman Sliska welcomed the Archbishop and the members of the delegation in a formal Hall of the Duma, she spoke of the great honor – both to herself and to the State Duma, to receive for the first time “the Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.” She thanked the Archbishop for his visit and expressed great appreciation for his prayers and the prayers of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in connection with the reunification of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR). She spoke with great praise for Patriarch Alexy, and his leadership of the resurgence of the Russian Orthodox Church. She also expressed her hopes that the visit of the Archbishop to Russia would contribute in a positive way to the relations between the United States and Russia.

The Archbishop spoke of the For the rest of this News Release, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website

Archbishop Demetrios Meets With Patriarch Alexy of Moscow
May 27, 2008

Archbishop Demetrios of America and the members of the official delegation of the Archdiocese were received by Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia on Tuesday May 27th at the Official Patriarchal Residence inside the Danilovsky Monastery, the first Monastery founded in Moscow.

Before the 1:00 p.m. meeting with the Patriarch, the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate had arranged with the government for the Archbishop and the delegation to receive a private tour of the Grand Palace inside the Kremlin. This vast palace contains the official government ceremonial halls that have been used for state occasions throughout Russian history, as well as the private apartments of the Tsars and their royal chapel.

After returning from the Kremlin, Archbishop Demetrios led the delegation on the short walk from the Danilovsky Hotel to the Official Patriarchal Residence. There, precisely at 1:00 p.m., he was received by Bishop Alexander of Mitrof, Vicar Bishop to the Patriarch in charge of prison Ministry, Archimandrite Alexy, Abbot of the Danilovsky Monastery, and Protopresbyter Nikolai Balashov, Secretary for Inter-Orthodox Relations. These officials of the Moscow Patriarchate conducted His Eminence and the members of the delegation to a reception room where Patriarch Alexy warmly greeted the Archbishop, the Hierarchs and all the members of the delegation. After this initial greeting, the Patriarch escorted the Archbishop and all the members of the delegation into the Patriarchal Throne Room, where a table had been set up to accommodate all the members of the delegation and the Patriarch’s staff. Members of the media, including numerous reporters, television crews and photographers busily recorded the beginning of the meeting.

The meeting was divided into two sections; the first portion was an opportunity for the entire delegation to participate with mass media present. The second was a private meeting between the Patriarch and the Archbishop reserved for the Hierarchs and staff.

The Patriarch sat in the middle of the table, across from the Archbishop and formally welcomed both him and the members of the delegation. In his opening remarks, Patriarch Alexy thanked the Archbishop for the concelebration of the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Cathedral in the Kremlin. He welcomed His Eminence “as a son of Thessaloniki” (the birthplace of Sts. Cyril and Methodios), noting the shared faith of the Greek and Russian nations. The Patriarch concluded his welcome by stressing the importance of the visit of His Eminence as the Exarch of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, adding “whom we wholeheartedly love.” After extending his greetings to the other Hierarchs, Patriarch Alexy welcomed Metropolitan Methodios, Metropolitan Alexios and Bishop Savas as “esteemed pastors and spiritual leaders for the United States,” and the remainder of the delegation.

In his talk that followed, Patriarch Alexy spoke of the process of the restoration of the Russian Orthodox Church after decades of minimal survival. He spoke of the difficulty of restoring the souls of the people as being the greatest challenge to the Church, adding that the role of the Church in society: in philanthropy, youth work, care for the elderly and chaplaincies for the military and in prisons is being restored. As an example of this restoration, he said that since 1990, 700 oratories (chapels) have been constructed in prisons throughout the country by the prisoners themselves. The Patriarch also shared some statistics with the delegation that bear witness to the remarkable resurgence of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In his response to the Patriarch, the Archbishop expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the Patriarch’s invitation and hospitality. He noted the kindness and attention that the Patriarch had shown both him and the delegation, by being For the rest of this News Release, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website

Archbishop Demetrios Celebrates Feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodios in Historic Liturgy in Kremlin
May 26, 2008

Archbishop Demetrios of America celebrated an historic Divine Liturgy in the Kremlin on Saturday, May 24th, the feast (on the Old Calendar) of Sts. Cyril and Methodios, the Apostles to the Slavs.

The Archbishop served Divine Liturgy in the Dormition Cathedral of the Mother of God with Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia. Serving also were Metropolitan Methodios of Boston, Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, Bishop Savas of Troas, Fr. Mark Arey and Archdeacon Pandeleimon Papadopoulos. The remainder of the delegation attended the Liturgy with faithful who filled the Cathedral. When, as is the custom in the Russian Orthodox Church, the clergy greeted the Chief Celebrant after receiving Holy Communion, Patriarch Alexy warmly greeted the Archbishop, the Hierarchs and clergy of the Archdiocese. During the Divine Liturgy, the clergy of the Archdiocese were advanced in the seniority (in the cases where they did not already possess it) of the serving Bishops, Priests and Deacons, as an honor paid to the Archbishop, who was already in the position of honor next to the Patriarch.

Following the Divine Liturgy, the Archbishop and the delegation were hosted, together with 100 dignitaries and clergy, at a Banquet offered by Patriarch Alexy in his official residence within the walls of the Danilovsky Monastery. In his toast, Archbishop Demetrios congratulated the Patriarch, wishing him "Many Years," and noted his own connection with the celebration both as Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the ecclesiastical fountainhead of the Russian Orthodox Church, and as a son of Thessaloniki, the birthplace of the Saints of the day.

Although relatively small in comparison with other churches, the Dormition Cathedral (Uspensky Sobor) is enormously important in the history of Russian Orthodoxy. The Cathedral, built starting in the 14th century, was the site of the coronation of the Tsars of Russia, even when the capital was transferred to St. Petersburg under Peter the Great. Filled with ancient frescoes and icons, the Cathedral was turned into a museum during the Soviet era, but was restored to the Russian Orthodox Church after the fall of Communism.

The annual commemoration of Slavic Letters Day – a National Holiday in Russia celebrated on the Feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodios, is in recognition of the source both of Orthodox Faith and Slavic Culture in the Russian land, which commenced with St. Photios the Great, Patriarch of Constantinople sending the two monastic brothers from Thessaloniki, Sts, Cyril and Methodios, on their apostolic mission of evangelization of the Slavic peoples. To this day, even the name "Cyrillic Alphabet," testifies to the strength of the connection of Orthodox Faith and Culture in Russia.

Archbishop Demetrios at Christ the Savior Cathedral Hosted by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk
May 26, 2008

Archbishop Demetrios of America revisited the massive Christ the Savior Cathedral on Sunday, May 25, in the same Church where he led the Official Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate eight years ago at the Consecration of this, the largest church building in Russia.

Standing in the Altar with brother Hierarchs Metropolitan Methodios of Boston, Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta and Bishop Savas of Troas, the Archbishop followed the Divine Service presided over by Archbishop Arseny, an Assistant Hierarch to Patriarch Alexy, and whose main duty is to be responsible for all the clergy of Moscow. During the Divine Liturgy, the lay portion of the Delegation was seated in a place of honor to the right of the Altar, where they witnessed the Cathedral filled both with pious faithful, and with the finest examples of Russian ecclesiastical music.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Arseny introduced the Archbishop to the faithful, together with the accompanying Hierarchs. He warmly welcomed the Archdiocese as a whole to the Cathedral (which was demolished by Stalin and only rebuilt – exactly as it was – in recent years), and invited the Archbishop to address the congregation and clergy. The Archbishop spoke on this occasion in Greek, with a translator conveying his words in Russian.

The Archbishop spoke of the great emotion he felt returning to Christ the Savior after eight years, when he represented the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, by leading the Patriarchal Delegation that participated in the Consecration of the Cathedral. He spoke of the remarkable progress of the Russian Orthodox Church and congratulated Patriarch Alexy for his leadership. Finally, as the Archbishop presented a Commemorative Plate to the Dean of the Cathedral in honor of the occasion, he reminded the faithful, who are fully aware of the symbolic value of the rebirth of Christ the Savior, that “whatever the obstacle, whatever the challenge, whatever the difficulty, in the end, the words on this Plate “IC XC NIKA” are the final witness: Jesus Christ Conquers!” As the assembled faithful followed the translation and heard this final praise to God for the miracle of the rebirth of the Russian Orthodox Church, as one body they bowed their heads and made the sign of the Cross. Then, as the Choir sang “Eis Polla Eti” the Archbishop blessed the congregation and was led with the whole delegation on a private tour of the Cathedral.

In the afternoon, the Archbishop and the delegation were hosted at a formal luncheon hosted by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate. Also in attendance from the Russian Orthodox Church were Bishop Mark of Egorievsk and Protopresbyter Nikolai Balashov, both of whom had accompanied the delegation to the Holy Trinity-St. Segrgius Lavra, and who served with the Clergy at the Dormition Cathedral in the Kremlin on Saturday the 24 ^th . The luncheon was an opportunity for lively discussion among all the participants, and ended with an exchange of gifts: Metropolitan Kirill presented the Archbishop with an Engolpion (Hierarchal insignia) and every member of the delegation with a gift. The Archbishop presented Metropolitan Kirill with a Cross and For the rest of this News Release, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website

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