« On the 27th Sunday after Pentecost, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh celebrated the Liturgy at the Intercession Church in Ottawa (ROCOR) »

On December 10, 2023, on the 27th Sunday after Pentecost, feast of the icon of the Mother of God, called “The Sign,” His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporary Administrator of patriarchal parishes in the USA and Canada, with the blessing of Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada (ROCOR), celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Intercession Church  in Ottawa.

His Grace was assisted by Rector of the church, Archpriest Alexei Pjawka (ROCOR), clergy of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA, acting Chancellor Hegumen Nikodim (Balyasnikov), Vice-Chancellor Priest Mark Rashkov, Hieromonk Saraphim (Balagtas).

The diaconal rank was headed by the head of the bishop's protocol service of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA, Deacon Alexy Golubov.

At the service, parishioners of the Intercession-Kazan icon parish of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ottawa prayed together with the parishioners and guests of the Church of the Intercession.

At the end of the Liturgy, Rector of the church, Archpriest Alexy, addressed Bishop Matthew with a word of greeting, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to  celebrate the hierarchical service on the day of the celebration of the appearance of the miraculous image of the Most Holy Mother of God “The Sign,” which is called the Hodegetria of the Russian Diaspora.

In his sermon, Bishop Matthew spoke about the significance of this miraculous icon in the life of the Russian Orthodox diaspora abroad and wished everyone present in the church the gracious help of the Most Holy Mother of God in going through the Nativity Fast and a worthy celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ.

In memory of celebrating the divine service and in gratitude for the hospitality shown, Bishop Matthew honoured Archpriest Alexei Pjawka and the parish activists of the Intercession Church with a bishop's certificate and presented a pectoral cross to Fr.  Alexei.  The clergyman of the Intercession-Kazan icon Patriarchal Parish in Ottawa, Protodeacon Alexander Zakharov, and active parishioner N.A. Koryakina were also awarded blessed bishop's certificates.

All participants in the divine service were presented with icons of the Intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God.

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