Video: Patriarch Kirill with Metropolitan Tikhon and OCA delegation in Moscow’s Dormition Cathedral
On Thursday, December 4, 2014, the Great Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple, His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon; His Grace, Bishop Alexander; and the clergy members of the OCA delegation during their official visit to the Russian Orthodox Church. The video, produced by the Moscow Patriarchate in Russian, offers excellent glimpses of the clergy and faithful in attendance in the historic 15th century cathedral. In his sermon, Patriarch Kirill explains the significance of the Feastday, reflects on the historic ties between the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Church—especially recalling the first missionaries who arrived in Alaska in 1794 from Valaam and the witness of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, whose enthronement took place in the same cathedral 97 years ago, shortly after the outbreak of the Russian Revolution—and warmly welcomes Metropolitan Tikhon and the delegation’s members. At the conclusion of his sermon, Patriarch Kirill is shown presenting Metropolitan Tikhon with a panagia and pectoral cross, relating that the cross, resting on the center of one’s chest, signifies how the cross is at the very center of a Christian’s life.
For the text of Metropolitan Tikhon’s response to Patriarch Kirill, please visit https://www.oca.org/news/headline-news/metropolitan-tikhon-concelebrates-liturgy-with-patriarch-kirill.