BUTOVO: May 20, 2007
The Official Delegation Headed by Metropolitan Laurus, the Unified Choir and Pilgrims of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad Participate In the Great Consecration of a New Church

On May 19, 2007, the birth date of Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus and his fellow-travellers participated in the great consecration of a new church of the Resurrection of Christ and the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia in Butovo, on the outskirts of Moscow. Singing during Divine Liturgy, in addition to the Sretensky Monastery men's choir, was the unified choir of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia under the direction of Peter Fekula. At the end of divine services, His Eminence turned to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and all those in attendance with the following greeting:

“Your Holiness! Beloved-in-the-Lord archpastors, pastors and children of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia!

“Today is both a sorrowful and joyful day. Sorrowful because this place was a place of the suffering and death of a multitude of faithful children of the Church, yet joyful, because the Holy Church now makes eternal their memory by this memorial temple of God. Their podvigi now bind us with stronger spiritual ties.

“As you know, upon the consecration of every church, a relic of a martyr is placed into the altar table. Here, the earth was thoroughly soaked with the blood of the martyrs and sown with their bones, and it shall be as an altar table to Christ our God. Long ago, a prophet said of the persecutors of the Church of Christ and of God's People: ‘I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.'

“May their memory be cleared from the hearts of men, and the Church of Christ established on the Russian land for ages and ages! Amen.

“In memory of today's joint praising of the memory of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, we ask that you accept from us for this newly-consecrated church a gift: an icon of St John of Shanghai with a portion of his holy relics. Vladyka John held sacred the memory of the New Martyrs, and by his efforts, the Memorial Church in Brussels was built dedicated to the Righteous Royal Passion-bearers and all the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia.”