Metropolitan Tikhon, OCA delegation arrive in Moscow for anniversary celebration
Today—Wednesday, January 30, 2019—His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon and a delegation from the Orthodox Church in America arrived in Moscow, Russia, where they are joining representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches for the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the election and enthronement of His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow as Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Accompanying Metropolitan Tikhon are His Grace, Bishop Daniel of Santa Rosa; Archpriest Alexander Rentel, Chancellor; Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, OCA Representative to the Moscow Patriarchate; Melanie Ringa, Treasurer; Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak; and Subdeacon Roman Ostash.
Other Local Churches—including the Churches of Alexandria, Antioch, Serbia, the Czech Lands and Slovakia, and others—will be represented by their respective Primates or similar delegations.
Metropolitan Tikhon and the OCA delegation met with Patriarch Kirill shortly after their arrival today. On Thursday, January 31, they will visit the Embassy of the United States of America in Moscow. In the evening, they will attend a special anniversary concert in the State Kremlin Palace. The following morning, Metropolitan Tikhon and the OCA’s clergy representatives will concelebrate at the anniversary Patriarchal Divine Liturgy in Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral.
On Saturday, February 2, Metropolitan Tikhon and the OCA delegation will visit the Donskoy Monastery, where they will venerate the relics of Saint Tikhon of Moscow. Later in the day, they will visit the Sretensky Theological Seminary and Monastery. Metropolitan Tikhon will celebrate the Vigil at the Sretensky Monastery’s Church of the Resurrection on Saturday evening. On Sunday, February 3, he will preside at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the OCA’s Representation Church of the Great Martyr Catherine. Among the concelebrants will be His Grace, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh.
Metropolitan Tikhon and the OCA delegation will return to the US on Sunday evening.
Patriarch Kirill was elected in January 2009 following the repose of His Holiness, Patriarch Alexy II in December 2008. He was enthroned as the 16th Patriarch of Moscow on February 1, 2009. Metropolitan Tikhon, who at that time was Archbishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, represented the OCA at the Patriarch’s enthronement.
A photo gallery can be viewed on the OCA website and Facebook page.