Sergiev Posad, October 11, 2017
Photo: Wikipedia On October 6, the day of the glorification of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna and apostle to America, celebrations were held in the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra for the 220th anniversary of the saint’s birth and the 40th anniversary of his canonization, reports the site of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The Divine Liturgy for the feast was celebrated in the Dormition Cathedral by Metropolitan Vadim of Irkutsk and Angarsk, concelebrated by about 30 other bishops. Among those taking part in the celebrations were His Grace Bishop Irenei of Sacramento (ROCOR) and Bishop Daniel of Santa Rosa (OCA). Bp. Irenei also celebrated the feast of St. Sergius, the founder of the lavra, at the monastery two days later.
After the Liturgy, a moleben was celebrated before the relics of St. Innocent, which are kept in the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra’s Dormition Cathedral, after which Met. Vadim read out a greeting form His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.
The celebration of the St. Innocent’s birthday and glorification began on September 7 with the grand opening in Irkutsk of a city square dedicated to the famous missionary, and the gifting of a bust of St. Innocent to Irkutsk on behalf of Pat. Kirill. An academic conference was also held in his honor, and a new Church of St. Innocent was consecrated in his birthplace of Anga, in the Irkutsk Province.
The dioceses of Siberia and the Far East, and also in the Moscow Theological Academy there will be conferences, seminars, round tables, and presentations of publications about St. Innocent and his missionary service throughout the year.
