KAZAN, RUSSIA: July 25, 2016
Archpastors of the Russian Church Abroad Visit the Churches and Monasteries of Kazan
 On July 22, 2016, a day after a visit by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Raifsk Monastery of the Mother of God, another important delegation visited the monastery: His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, and His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany.
Archimandrite Vsevolod (Zakharov), prior of the monastery, warmly greeted the visitors. Vladyka Hilarion and Vladyka Mark and their delegation were given a tour of the monastery and told about its 400-year history and daily life today. They stressed how badly the monastery suffered during the years of the godless regime. By the will of the Lord, after many years of abandonment, prayers are once again lifted within the monastery walls.
Before his visit to Raifa, Vladyka Mark had earlier prayed during Divine Liturgy at SS Peter and Paul Cathedral, then visited Kazan Mother of God Monastery, where he venerated the miracle-working Vatican copy of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Metropolitan Hilarion then visited St Nicholas Cathedral, and together with Vladyka Mark visited the Kazan Diocesan headquarters. The hierarchs were greeted by the diocesan secretary, Protopriest Vladimir Samoilenko, and Dean of the First Deanery of Kazan, Protopriest Aleksy Chubakov. Fr Vladimir then showed the bishops the premises and told them about life in the Tatarstan Metropoliate and its ecclesiastical structures. The hierarchs of the Church Abroad then visited Sviyazhsky Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery.
On the evening of July 22, Vladyka Mark visited Holy Spirit Church (Dukhososhestvensky) and the Orthodox High School of St Gury of Kazan. Before that, Archbishop Mark visited the Church of the Yaroslav Miracle-workers at Arsk Cemetery in Kazan, with Fr Aleksy acting as tour guide.
His Eminence also venerated the copy of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, the relics of the first archbishop of Kazan, St Gury, and other relics. Vladyka Mark then headed for Holy Spirit Church, where Fr Aleksy talked about its recent renovation.
Greeting Vladyka Mark at the only Orthodox high school in the Republic of Tatarstan was its Deputy Director, Kseniya Latypova. He was given a tour of the school and told about its operation, showing him among other things their calligraphy class. Fr Aleksy, the school’s director, then spoke about the planned construction of a new church for the 11th grade. Vladyka Mark then thanked his hosts and wished them Divine assistance in their efforts.
On July 21, after a Patriarchal Liturgy and procession of the cross with the participation of some thirty American pilgrims accompanying Metropolitan Hilarion, they also visited Dukhososhestvensky Church and learned of its history. The pilgrims were then offered a trapeza luncheon.
tatarstan-mitropolia.ru
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