Yesterday’s celebration of the feast of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco at the OCA’s representation Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr in Moscow brought together representatives of four Local Churches, marking the 60th anniversary of the Holy Hierarch’s repose.

The Divine Liturgy was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, reports the Church of St. Katherine.

He was concelebrated by Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), representative of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia at the Moscow Patriarchate; Protopresbyter Daniel Andrejuk, representative of the Orthodox Church in America at the Moscow Patriarchate and rector of the church; Fr. Miron Kanteladze from the Georgian Patriarchate’s representation Church of St. George, other clerics of St. Catherine’s, and visiting clerics from various Moscow churches.

The parish children’s, youth, and adult choir sang at the Divine Liturgy under the direction of Matushka Vera Andrejuk.

The belt of St. John was present at the church for the feast, drawing pilgrims from Moscow and other cities of Russia.

At the Divine Liturgy, special prayers were offered for the repose of Boris Ivanovich Maximovich and Glafira Mikhailovna Maximovich, the parents of St. John.

Following the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Daniel Andrejuk addressed Met. Anthony, conveying words of gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill for his care for the church and the OCA representation, and presented the Metropolitan with a portrait of St. John of Shanghai painted by the parish iconographer.

In turn, Met. Anthony conveyed the Patriarchal blessing to the clergy and parishioners.

At the festal meal following the service, Fr. Daniel noted that it that although we live in confusing times, in our common prayer, our life in the Church, which unites us and breaks down all walls of enmity.

In the evening, a moleben with the akathist to St. John was served by the clergy of the OCA representation church.

Feast of St. John (Maximovitch) at OCA church in Moscow brings together four Local Churches