On Monday, December 4, the feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos in the Temple and the feast of the centennial anniversary of the election of St. Tikhon (Bellavin) as Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, the Divine Liturgy in Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow was led by His Holiness Theodore, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa.

The relics of St. Tikhon were present in the center of the cathedral, brought days earlier for the work of the Holy Council of Bishops.

The Liturgy was led by the primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches: His Holiness Patriarch Theophilus of Jerusalem; His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia; His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia; His Holiness Patriarch Daniel of Romania; His Beatitutde Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus; His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania; His Beatitude Metropolitan Sava of Warsaw and all Poland; His Beatitude Rastisalv of the Czech Lands and Slovakia; His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of all America and Canada (accompanied by Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA); His Eminence Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo and all Japan; Metropolitan Theodore of Akhaltsikhe and Tao-Klarjeti represented the Georgian Orthodox Church and Metropolitan Gabriel of Lochev represented the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Attending the services were permanent members of the Holy Synod –  Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and all Moldova Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan; Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan; Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga; Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Zaslavsk Patriarchal Exarch to all Belarus and Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk; attendees of the Holy Council of Bishops of the Russian Church, priests and deacons of the capital city.

The choir comprised of singers of the Moscow City Diocese under the direction of the Honored Artist of Russia A.A. Puzakov. The choir was formed from the best choristers within the city.

TV channels "Soyuz" and "Spas" aired live broadcasts of the divine service.

During the Little Entrance, in accordance with Point 2.2.4 of the Regulations on Awards in the Russian Orthodox Church, accepted at the Holy Council of Bishops "the right to wear the second panagia within the confines of their ecclesiastical territory belongs to the heads of the Japanese Autonomous Church, the Self-governing Orthodox Church in Moldova, the Latvian Orthodox Church, the Estonian Orthodox Church, the Belarusian Exarchate, the Metropolitan District in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Central Asian Metropolitan District, as well as the President of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad." The right to wear the second panagia was awarded to: the Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo and all Japan ; Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and All Moldova; Metropolitan Alexander of Riga and All Latvia; Metropolitan Cornelius of Tallinn and All Estonia; Metropolitan Pavel  of Minsk and Zaslavsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the Metropolitan district in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, the head of the Central Asian Metropolitan district. Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, chairman of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, was awarded the second panagia by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill  in June of this year during the work of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia "in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion and consideration for zealous works found in spiritual unity."

In accordance with the new Regulation on Awards, according to paragraph 2.2.1 "The elevation to the rank of archbishop and metropolitan are determined by the place of service."  The Metropolitan is the archbishop of the main city of the metropolia and the metropolitan of the region. The archbishop is the ruling bishop of the city and region not part of a Metropolia." His Holiness Patriarch Kirill elevated to the rank of Archbishop, Bishop Lukian of Blagoveshchensk and Tyndin; Bishop Feofan of Kyzyl and Tyvin; Bishop Ephraim of Birobidzhan and Kuldur; Bishop Varlaam of Makhachkala and Grozny; Bishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alan; Bishop Callistratus of Gorno-Altai and Chemal; Bishop Matthew of Anadyr and Chukchi.

During the Augmented Litany, special petitions were added in commemoration of the election of Patriarch Tikhon and the Church of Russia. 

Before Holy Communion, Archbishop Sergey of Solnechnogorsk read aloud the Epistle of the Holy Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Patriarch Kirill vested in in a copy of the Patriarchal Kukol that Patriarch Tikhon was enthroned with. His Holiness then delivered greetings to the gathered primates and hierarchs.

A banquet was held in the refectory of Christ the Savior Cathedral in honor of the centennial anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate.

Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia

Translated by www.mospatusa.com