Kazan, November 5, 2021
Photo: tatmitropolia.ru
A pan-Orthodox celebration was held yesterday for the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, bringing together hierarchs and clergy from seven Orthodox Churches.
Photo: tatmitropolia.ru
The main celebration of the feast is traditionally held at the Kazan Monastery, at the site of the appearance of the wonderworking icon in 1579. The feast on November 4 was established to celebrate the deliverance of Russia from invaders in 1612.
Photo: tatmitropolia.ru
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan, Antiochian representative to the Russian Church Metropolitan Nifon of Philippopolis, Serbian representative Bishop Anthony of Moravica, Bishop Gideon of Makarov of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and several other hierarchs of the Russian Church, together with Czech-Slovak representative Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), Orthodox Church in America representative Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, Archpriest Kakhaber Gototishvili of the Georgian Church, and local Tatarstan clergy, reports Orthodoxy in Tatarstan.
Following the Liturgy, the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful processed around the church with the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, chanting hymns to the Heavenly Queen.
Photo: tatmitropolia.ru
Then Met. Kirill addressed all those who gathered for the feast, emphasizing that, “love for the Most Holy Theotokos leads us to this place where her wonderworking icon was revealed. When we pray before the wondrous icon of the Most Holy Virgin, we touch something higher, something real, authentic, and spiritual—that which the human soul is drawn to.”
Met. Nifon of the Antiochian Patriarchate also spoke, asking that the Lord “may strengthen us all through the intercession of His Most Pure Mother, that we might feel Orthodox unity and strive to support each other with mutual help.”
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