MOSCOW: December 6, 2017
Archpastors of the Russian Church Abroad Participate in 100th-Anniversary Celebrations of the Restoration of the Patriarchate

December 4, 2017, the feast day of the Entrance Into the Temple of the Most-Holy Mother of God, was also the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate of Moscow and All Russia, which was celebrated at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow.

The reliquary containing the relics of Holy Patriarch Tikhon was brought from Donskoy Stavropighial Monastery and placed in the center of the cathedral on November 29, to correspond with the beginning of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Officiating at Divine Liturgy was His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa, who was joined by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Primates and delegation heads of other Local Orthodox Churches.

Soyuz television provided a live broadcast of the services.

During the minor entrance, in accordance with paragraph 2.2.4 of the Regulations on Awards of the Russian Orthodox Church, among several others, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, was given the right to wear a second panaghia within his canonical territory. Metropolitan Hilarion was also granted the right to wear the second panaghia for the duration of the Council of Bishops this year to mark the 10th anniversary of the reestablishment of canonical unity by decision of Patriarch Kirill in June of this year.

A festive trapeza was then held at the Hall of Councils at the cathedral

Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.