Moscow, December 9, 2024
L to R: Met. Niphon (Antiochian), Met. Anthony (Russian), Bp. Gerasim (OCA). Photo: mospat.ru
On Saturday, December 7, the Church of the Great Martyr Catherine in the Fields in Moscow celebrated its patronal feast and its 30th anniversary as the representation of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchate.
The service was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Russian Church’s Department for External Church Relations, together with His Eminence Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch to the Patriarch of Moscow, and His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth, Vicar of the OCA’s Diocese of the South. They were joined by local OCA, Russian, Georgian, and Czech-Slovak clergy, reports the DECR.
Bp. Gerasim traveled to Russia to celebrate the feast and anniversary at the OCA church. He also served in Kazan earlier in the week.
The Liturgy was celebrated in Slavonic, English, Georgian, and Arabic. The church was filled to overflowing with parishioners and visitors.
Photo: mospat.ru
Following the service, St. Catherine’s rector Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk presented Met. Anthony with an episcopal Panagia in memory of the celebration. In turn, Met. Anthony presented the church with a new altar cross.
Bp. Gerasim read out the greeting of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of Washington and All America and Canada recounting the history of the church.
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The Church of St. Catherine in 1763. Photo: ocapodvorie.ru
The current stone Baroque Church of St. Catherine was built in 1766–1768 by personal decree of Empress Catherine II. It was consecrated on September 23, 1768.
The church was closed by the atheist regime in 1931. Its buildings were used as offices and for industrial purposes.
In 1992, the church was transferred to the Orthodox community.
On December 7, 1994, it was transferred to the Orthodox Church in America to serve as its representation church. The first Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the feast of the Annunciation in 1995.
The church was consecrated by His Holiness Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosius, primate of the OCA, on June 11, 1999.
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