« On Saturday after the Nativity of Christ, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Parish of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple in Drogheda, Republic of Ireland »

On January 10, 2026, Saturday after the Nativity of Christ, as part of his archpastoral visit to the diocesan district of the Republic of Ireland, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Parish of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple in Drogheda.

At the entrance to the church, His Grace was greeted with flowers and bread and salt by the Dean of Ireland and the Rector of the parish, Archpriest Mikhail Nasonov; the secretary of the Diocese of Sourozh, Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko; and the parish church warden, Tatyana Zaitseva.

His Grace was assisted at the Divine Liturgy by Archpriest Mikhail Nasonov, Dean of the Diocesan District of the Republic of Ireland; Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko, Secretary of the Diocese of Sourozh; Priest Gennady Sokolov, cleric of the Parish of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple in Drogheda; Deacon Sergiy Starovoitov, cleric of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Dublin; and Deacon Pavel Demyanovsky.

The combined choir of the Irish Deanery performed the liturgical hymns under the direction of choirmaster Tamara Butkovskaya.

Following the prayer after the communion, a glorification of the feast of the Nativity of Christ was celebrated.

Following the dismissal of the Liturgy, Priest Gennady Sokolov addressed His Grace with a welcoming address.

Father Gennady warmly thanked Vladyka for his archpastoral visit, congratulated him on the 10th anniversary of his episcopal consecration, and, on behalf of the parishioners, presented the bishop with a commemorative panagia with an icon of the Nativity of Christ and a bouquet of white roses.

Bishop Matthew, in turn, congratulated the clergy and parishioners on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, thanked them for the warm welcome, and addressed those present with a sermon.

In recognition of their diligent labours for the good of the Holy Church, the following were awarded episcopal certificates of blessing: Priest Gennady Sokolov, Warden Tatyana Zaitseva, and Choirmaster Alexandra Thornton.

In memory of his visit, the hierarch presented the church with a liturgical Gospel, published in English by the Moscow Patriarchate Publishing House with the participation of the Diocese of Sourozh.

All participants in the Liturgy were given icons of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of All Russia.

On the same day, His Grace Bishop Matthew and his entourage made a pilgrimage to a holy spring and the birthplace of one of Ireland's most venerated saints of the Undivided Church - St. Bridget, Abbess of Kildare (c. 452-525) in Faughart, County Louth.

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