RUSSIAN ECCLESIASTICAL MISSION IN JERUSALEM: August 20, 2006
His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus Conducts Divine Liturgy in Gethsemane and Venerates the Life-Bearing Sepulchre of the Lord

On August 20, on the 10 th Sunday after Pentecost, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia performed Divine Liturgy at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Gethsemane along with Hegumen Andronik (Kotliaroff), Deputy Chief of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem; Priest Serafim Gan, Personal Secretary of the First Hierarch at the Synod of Bishops; Hieromonk Nicholas (Perekrestov), Secretary of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem; along with Protodeacon Victor Lochmatov, the First Hierarch's Secretary at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville; Hierodeacon Cyprian (Alexandrou) of Holy Trinity Monastery; and Deacon Nicholas Olhovsky, the cell-attendant of Metropolitan Laurus.

After the pre-Communion sticheron, Priest Serafim Gan gave a sermon. During the trapeza held after the service, Hegumen Andronik warmly greeted the President of the part of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad, expressing his gratitude for the visit and for his attention along with his best wishes for health and further success in his difficult First-Hierarchical service. Then His Eminence met with Abbess Elizabeth (Smelic), the nuns and worshipers of the Convent, after which he departed for the Old City, where he venerated the Life-bearing Sepulchre of the Lord, Holy Golgotha and other holy places at the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. Here His Eminence Vladyka blessed numerous clergymen and pilgrims from Russia, who had come to venerate the chief holy sites of all Christendom.

The same day, Hegumen Andronik hosted a reception as representatives of the brethren of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem in honor of His Eminence and his escorts.