Paris, September 7, 2014
Celebrations dedicated to the 80th anniversary since repose of Righteous Alexis of Ugine (1867-1934) took place on Saturday, September 6, 2014, in the small French town of Ugine (Haute-Savoie province), reports the Korsun Diocese’s website.
A solemn Liturgy was celebrated at the local St. Nicolas Church where Priest Alexis Medvedkov, canonized by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, had served in the 1930s.
The festivities in Ugine were headed by Archbishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe (ROCOR) and Bishop Nestor of Korsun. Archpriest Michael Gundyayev, priest-in-charge in Ugine Hieromonk Joseph (Pavlinchuk), clergy of the Korsun, Bogorodsk, and Vladimir-Volynsky (the Ukraine) Dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church concelebrated with the hierarchs.
Numerous pilgrims from Geneva and Milan prayed at the service.
After the Liturgy a prayer service was performed and a cross procession held. Then the hierarchs greeted the worshippers with the feast-day. In his speech Bishop Nestor drew the parishioners’ and church guests’ attention to the fact that not only was the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church remarkable because a true saint of God had served here, but also because, in spite of threat of demolition by the local authorities, by the Lord’s providence financial resources for preservation and extensive repairs of the church had been found.
The St. Nicolas Church in Ugine has once again become a center of Orthodox pilgrimage. Believers from France, Switzerland, and Northern Italy regularly flock to the site of ministry of Holy Righteous Alexis of Ugine.
After Archbishop Michael had returned a greeting, the traditional “Many years!” was proclaimed and “Eternal memory!” sung in commemoration of all the deceased clergy and parishioners of the Ugine Orthodox parish.
