JERUSALEM: 9 August, 2024
Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany officiates at Divine Liturgy at Gorny Convent in Jerusalem

August 7 is the feast of the Dormition of Righteous Anna, the mother of the Most Holy Theotokos. On this feast day this year, His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany officiated at Divine Liturgy at Gorny Convent in Ein Karem, the main monastery church, the Cathedral of All Russian Saints.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeev), Chief of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), Chief of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, clergymen of the German Diocese, Hieromonk Peter (Borodulin) and Deacon Makarii Petukhov, clerics of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, as well as pilgrims in the priesthood. The service was performed in Church Slavonic and German.

After reading the Apostolic and Gospel Prayers, Vladyka Mark read the customary prayer for peace.

Praying at the service was Abbess Catherine (Chernysheva) of the Gorny Convent in Ein Karem with her sisters and a multitude of pilgrims.

The hymns of the Divine Liturgy were sung by the choir of the sisters of the Gorny Convent. After the Communion verse, the head of the Mission, Fr Vassian, addressed the worshippers with a sermon.

Upon completion of Liturgy, the clergy and sisters proceeded in a festive procession from the Cathedral of All Russian Saints to the Kazan Church of the Gorny Monastery, where Metropolitan Mark and his concelebrants venerated the venerated Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. In the church, His Eminence addressed the sisters of the convent with a pastoral sermon.

During the luncheon, the sisters' choir sang spiritual hymns, after which Vladyka Mark congratulated Fr Makarii and two nuns of the Gorny Convent, Nun Eupraxia and Nun Anna, on their namesday.