SAN FRANCISCO: May 16, 2012
An Evening Dedicated to the Fifth Anniversary of the Unity of the Russian Orthodox Church is Held at “Joy Of All Who Sorrow” Cathedral

On May 17, 2007, the feast day of the Ascension of the Lord, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, signed the Act of Canonical Communion at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. This Act ended the division within the Local Russian Orthodox Church. This year, 2012, marks the fifth anniversary of the reestablishment of unity within the Russian Church.

Marking the anniversary of this great event will be an evening at the Cathedral of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in San Francisco, CA, on Thursday, May 17, 2012. A historical documentary on the signing of the Act will be shown.

There will also be a presentation of a new portrait of Metropolitan Laurus painted in Russia specifically for the cathedral hall, where in 2006, the 4th All-Diaspora Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia took place. It was at this Council that its participants expressed their intention to heal the wounds of division within the Russian Church, between its parts in the Fatherland and abroad, and so the decision was made to reestablish ecclesiastical unity.

It is expected that participants in the 4th All-Diaspora Council will be present at the event, and of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion itself, and will be available to answer questions and share their recollections.

All Russian Orthodox Christians are invited to the event in the Bay Area who have love and devotion to the Russian Church and to Russia to help mark the exhilarating and joyous days of May, 2007.