GLUKHOV: October 4, 2009 
The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad Gives a Sermon at Glinsk Hermitage

From the Editors: After venerating the holy relics and icons of the church of Glinsk Hermitage, and following a greeting read by His Eminence Archbishop Luka of Konotopsk and Glukhov, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion gave the following sermon:

“Your Eminence, Dear Vladyka Abbot! Dear in the Lord archpastors, pastors and children of the Russian Orthodox Church:

It was with great joy that we accepted the invitation to visit this holy place, and eagerly came to the hospitable lands of the Ukranian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, to bear witness to our brotherly love in Christ.

We attest with profound gratification today that mutual relations within our great Russian Orthodox Church are filled with heartfelt, truly-Christian love. Its foundations lie in our one faith, in our common goals and hopes. A deep wellspring of our fraternal bonds is our common lineage, our common history, our common bonds with the great mission of Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, and his heirs, and our common veneration of the holy saints of God. And recognizing our unity in Christ, this brotherhood in the flesh, we gaze with inspiration upon the Christian path lying before us, which is being born, is growing, and gaining its perfection in the labor of love. This podvig is revealed in our common effort to strengthen unity within our Church. Our brotherly embrace extend even to those who are separated from us.

We are called by the Word of God to “follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” (Romans 14:19). And we are certain that all the parts of the Local Russian Orthodox Church will contribute to the bolstering of unity of the peoples of Rus.

May the Lord preserve our unity to the glory of Holy Orthodoxy! May this holy monastery blossom! In memory of this day of our prayerful, brotherly communion in this historic site, accept our gift of this holy icon.”

Later that day, the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia visited Glukhov, Putivl’ and Ryl’sk. We offer our readers photographs of these visits: