Moscow, August 27, 2026
From July 25 to August 6, 2026, with the blessing of His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch & All the East and His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow & All Rus’, a Summer Institute was held in Russia for students of St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology at the University of Balamand (Antiochian Orthodox Church). The program was organized by the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate to acquaint Orthodox students from Lebanon with the life of the Russian Orthodox Church and the activities of its institutions of higher education.
The 14-member student delegation was led by Archimandrite Chrysostomos (El Mecherki), an assistant professor at the University of Balamand.
The group’s visit began with participation in the celebrations of the patronal feast day of the Metochion of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in Moscow on Sunday, July 26. Divine Liturgy at the Metochion was celebrated that day by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, joined by hierarchs of the Antiochian Church: Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis (representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’), Metropolitan Silouan of Mount Lebanon, and Metropolitan Anthony of Zahlé & Baalbek. Clergy concelebrating with the hierarchs included Archimandrite Chrysostomos (El Mecherki) and ordained students from the University of Balamand: Priest Silouan Jbara, Priest Athanasius Makhoul, and Hierodeacon Arsenios (Koussa). Part of the hymnography at Liturgy was sung in Arabic by the student choir of the University of Balamand.
That same day, the delegation visited the Sts. Martha and Mary Convent of Mercy, where they were acquainted with the history of the convent. The guests were also given a tour of the House-Museum of the Holy Nun-Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth.
On July 27, the guests visited the St. Andrew Stavropegial Monastery. They were warmly welcomed by the monastery’s deputy abbot, Abbot Dionysius (Shlyonov), who also serves as director of the Synodal Library of the Russian Orthodox Church (named after His Holiness, Patriarch Alexey II). He spoke in detail about the monastery’s history and contemporary life, gave a tour of the library, and delivered a lecture to the students in Greek.
Next, the group visited Holy Protection Stavropegial Convent. Delegation members venerated the relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow and, accompanied by a guide, toured the convent’s museum complex.
That same day, a group of students, joined by Metropolitan Anthony of Zahlé and Baalbek, who was visiting Moscow, and Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, who was accompanying him, visited St. Tikhon Orthodox University of the Humanities (PSTGU). Archpriest Konstantin Polskov, vice-rector for Academic and International Affairs, gave the guests a tour of the historic diocesan headquarters on Likhov Lane, where the university is located; this was followed by a meeting with the university’s rector, Bishop Methodius of Yegoryevsk.
In the evening, the students from the University of Balamand took a walk along Red Square.
On July 28, the Day of the Baptism of Rus’, Archimandrite Chrysostomos and ordained members of the University of Balamand delegation concelebrated at Divine Liturgy with His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow & All Rus’, at Holy Dormition Cathedral in the Kremlin. In the altar, Fr. Chrysostomos and delegation members held a brief conversation with His Holiness, who warmly welcomed the students from the Antiochian Orthodox Church, expressed his joy at their visit to Russia, and presented them with commemorative gifts.
That same day, participants of the Summer Institute visited the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, toured the Diamond Fund in the Kremlin, and visited Holy Conception (Zachatyevsky) Stavropegial Convent, where they viewed the underground museum dedicated to the history of the convent.
On July 29, the University of Balamand students made a pilgrimage to Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra. The guests venerated the relics of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and the Holy Trinity icon by Ven. Andrew Rublev in Holy Trinity Cathedral; accompanied by a guide, they toured Holy Dormition Cathedral and the Church of St. Sergius with its Refectory Chamber, as well as the “Church and Archeological Office” museum of Christian art at the Moscow Theological Academy (MTA). Subsequently, together with hierarchs of the Antiochian Patriarchate who were visiting the Lavra that day (Metropolitan Anthony of Zahlé & Baalbek and Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis) the group of students met with the monastery’s abbot, Bishop Kirill of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov (rector of the MTA); following this, Priest Anthony Borisov, a professor at the Moscow Theological Academy, delivered a lecture in English to the Summer Institute participants on the subject of inter-Christian dialogue.
On July 30, the group of students visited the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies (CMI). Following a tour of the Patriarchal Chernigov Metochion organized for the guests, they met with the institute’s rector, Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, who warmly welcomed the representatives from the University of Balamand and described the activities of the institution he heads. Subsequently, N.S. Semyonova, head of the Department of Church History and Church Law at the institute, delivered a lecture to the students in English.
That same day, the guests visited Sretensky Stavropegial Monastery and Sretensky Theological Academy. Hierodeacon Basil (Nemets), a member of the monastery’s brotherhood and lecturer at the academy, gave a lecture in English to the Summer Institute participants, after which a joint luncheon was held with students of the theological school located at the monastery.
From July 31 to August 2, representatives from the University of Balamand visited the holy sites in the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese. On August 1, Archimandrite Chrysostomos (El Mesherki) and ordained members of the delegation concelebrated at Divine Liturgy with His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow & All Rus’, at St. Seraphim-Diveevo Convent on the feast of the Finding of the Relics of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov; on Sunday, August 2, they concelebrated at Liturgy with Archbishop Stephan of Gomel & Zhlobin in the monastery’s Holy Trinity Cathedral. As part of the trip, the guests visited Holy Resurrection Cathedral and the Museum of the Russian Patriarchate in Arzamas, St. Nicholas Convent in Arzamas, and toured the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. At the conclusion of his visit to the Nizhny Novgorod region, Archimandrite Chrysostomos spoke with representatives of the local media.
On the evening of August 2, participants of the Summer Institute arrived in St. Petersburg and spent the next three days in Russia’s “northern capital.” On August 3, they visited the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, where they were welcomed by Archpriest Dimitry Sizonenko, secretary of the Academic Council and head of the Academy’s International Department; he led an in-depth tour of the academy for the guests. On August 4, the delegation took part in the patronal celebrations at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Pavlovsk. At the church entrance, representatives of the University of Balamand were met and warmly welcomed by I.N. Sudosa, chairman of the Protocol Department of the St. Petersburg Diocese.
During their stay in “the City on the Neva,” the students also visited Kazan Cathedral and St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Church of the Savior on the Blood, Holy Trinity-St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Holy Resurrection-Novodevichy and St. John Stavropegial Convents, the Chapel of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg at the Smolensky Cemetery, and the Peter & Paul Fortress. Delegation members also toured Pavlovsk Palace and Our Lady of Theodore Sovereign Cathedral in Pushkin.
On August 6, the Summer Institute participants departed for home.
The University of Balamand representatives were accompanied on the trip by staff members of the DECR Secretariat for Inter-Orthodox Relations: Deacon Sergiy Monakhov and G.K. Shilin, as well as interpreter M. Rafful.
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