On February 3, 2019, His Beatitude Rostislav, Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, visited the church of St. Nicholas of Myra in Lycia, representation of his Church in Moscow, and celebrated the Divine Liturgy in it.
His Beatitude was assisted by Archbishop Michael of Prague and the Czech Lands; Bishop Paramon of Bronnitsa, vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), rector of the representation; Archpriest Nikolay Lischemyuk, rector of the Karlovy Vary representation of the Russian Orthodox Church; and clergy of the representation.
During the Lesser Entrance, His Beatitude granted Hieromonk Alexander (Galushka), secretary of the representation, the right to wear a decorated cross.
After the Divine Liturgy, Archimandrite Seraphim greeted Metropolitan Rostislav and presented him with a mitre.
Then Metropolitan Rostislav presented awards of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia: Ms. A. Gromova, deputy chair of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society and head of the international center ‘Charity in History’ of the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of World History, was awarded the Order of St. Lyudmila of Czechia; Mr. Peter Priputen, Slovakian ambassador to Russia – the Order of the Holy Prince Rostislav; Mr. K. Kovalev-Sluchevsky, member of the Russian Writers Union – the Medal of Ss Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-the-Apostles.
His Beatitude cordially greeted his concelebrants – the archpastors, rector and clergy, as well as the guests and parishioners and expressed his support for the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its Primate, His Beatitude Onufry, and for the whole Russian Orthodox Church.
Then Metropolitan Rostislav visited the Museum of the Russian Icon to see its unique exhibition, the website of the Moscow representation of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, reports.
(Source: DECR Communication Service)