MOSCOW: December 21, 2010
His HolinessPatriarch Kirill Will Receive a Delegation of Youth from the Russian Church Abroad

A group of young people from the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia will visit Moscow from December 22-29, 2010. This event is scheduled to mark the 90th anniversary of the Russian Church Abroad.

This is not the first such trip. Beginning in 2007,ROCOR’s Synodal Youth Department has organized trips which have involved 100people. This year, the organizer of the pilgrimage is Moscow’s St TikhonOrthodox Humanitarian University. Nine young people aged 18-25 from Europe,Australia, North and South America won the trip in an essay-writing contest onthe topic “I Grew Up in the Russian Church Abroad.” For the winners, this is along-awaited opportunity to see contemporary Russia with their own eyes and toshare their experiences in preserving Orthodoxy and Russian culture in foreignlands. The delegation is headed by Vice President of the Synodal YouthDepartment, Protopriest Andrei Sommer, Senior Priest of the Synodal Cathedralof Our Lady of “the Sign” in New York City.

The group will visit Donskoy Monastery andTretyakov Gallery, and visit the landmarks and holy sites of Moscow. OnDecember 23, the group will meet with His Grace Bishop Panteleimon ofOrekhovo-Zuevsk, the President of the Synodal Department of Charity and SocialWork. On December 24, they will visit Holy Trinity/St Sergius Lavra and meetwith the Rector of Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary, His EminenceArchbishop Evgeny of Verey, with teachers and students of the institutions. Theyoung pilgrims have been preparing for these meetings for several months: theyheld intercontinental tele- and video-conferences, discussed the program andprepared presentations.

On December 25, a symposium on the 90th anniversary of the Russian Church Abroad will begin at St Tikhon Orthodox Humanitarian Academy. His Grace Bishops Ignaty, President of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Synod Youth Department, will be a guest at the forum. The participants will discuss the history of the Russian Church Abroad in light of recent events and changes. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will then receive the youth delegation on December 26 at Christ the Savior Cathedral. At the end of the trip, the delegation will visit Nikolo-Solbinsky Monastery of Yaroslavl’ Diocese.

This trip is being made thanks to the support ofthe Fund for Assistance to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, whichalways supports such youth projects.