WESTERN EUROPEAN DIOCESE: 22 January 2024
The Epiphany of the Lord at Exaltation of the Cross Cathedral in Geneva

On 19 January, 2024, the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ, His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe headed Divine Services at the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross in Geneva, Switzerland. Co-serving His Grace were Archpriest Pavel Tzvetkoff and Archpriest Emilian Pocinoc, together with Archdeacon Dometian (Redko) and Hierodeacon Meletius (Bekker), visiting from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

On the eve of the feast, the Royal Hours were served in the morning, followed by vespers and the Divine Liturgy with the first blessing of waters. In the evening, Vladyka Irenei presided at the festal vigil, and on Friday morning the Hierarch was greeted at the portico and headed the Divine Liturgy of Theophany. During the Hours before the Liturgy, the Cathedral Reader Antoine Barros was elevated to the rank of Subdeacon. Later, after the consecration of the Holy Gifts, Subdeacon Antoine was ordained as Deacon, to serve in the Cathedral community.

The Cathedral was filled with an enormous number of faithful who came to receive of the Divine Mysteries of Christ on the occasion of the Great Feast, after which the clergy celebrated the Great Blessing of Waters and the faithful partook thereof, taking the holy water home to bless their homes and families.

The Bishop’s visit, which had begun earlier in the week, also involved his chairing of a meeting of the Parish Council, as well as the Council of the Cathedral Foundation, together with other meetings with clergy and faithful, and hospital visits to ill parishioners.