The Primatial Fraternal Visit of His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH,
to the Patriarch of Moscow, and all-Rus’, KIRILL (
25 April to 4 May, 2009)
It was a previous decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops that the Metropolitan of The Orthodox Church in America not travel abroad without being accompanied by at least one other bishop. It was in accordance with that decision, and in this particular capacity, that I travelled in the delegation on this Primatial Fraternal Visit.
On Saturday afternoon, 25 April, the delegation led by His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH, arrived in Moscow. Besides Metropolitan JONAH, the entourage consisted of Archimandrite Zacchaeus (Wood), Archpriests Alexander Garklavs, and Leonid Kishkovsky, Archdeacon Kyrill Sokolov, Brother Gregory, and Archbishop SERAPHIM. Bishop ALEXANDER of the Moscow Patriarchate was the official “guide” for the delegation. With Archbishop SERAPHIM still en route, Metropolitan JONAH, and the delegation travelled to St Catherine-in-the-field Representation Church to pray there first, to be received formally by the OCA Representative, Archimandrite Zacchaeus (Wood), and to view the premises. Then the delegation travelled to its main lodgings at the Danilovskaya Hotel, adjacent to the historic Danilovsky Monastery. As we were to be reminded several times, with our arrival had also come the warm weather. The temperature had suddenly risen, with clear skies, to the lower 20̊C range. This was immediately accompanied by the appearance of spring flowers, and the budding-forth of trees.
At 1600 hrs, the delegation travelled to the Donskoy Monastery, where we were met by the Igumen, Archimandrite Alexei, and members of the Brotherhood. Singing the Paschal Tropar, we entered the Main Temple, and venerated the Holy Table. Then there was veneration of the Relics of St Patriarch Tikhon, and the reading of a prayer. This was followed by a brief tour of the Winter Church, and the cemetery grounds. Afterwards, returning to the Danilovskaya Hotel, we walked to the adjacent Danilovsky Monastery, and we attended the Resurrectional Vigil. After this, we went to Archimandrite Alexei’s quarters, and were given “Russian Tea”, with animated, and warm conversation (Metropolitan JONAH has many old friends in Russia, including this Abbot. Many years ago, His Beatitude spent over a year in Russia, both as a Valaam novice, and as an editor of Rusky Palomnik. It was then that his Russian language became fluid).
On Sunday morning, the delegation departed the hotel at 0745 hrs for Christ the Saviour Cathedral, where we would serve. Vested, we greeted His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH at 0845 hrs at the Cathedral Entrance. There were eighteen bishops serving with the two Primates. His Holiness, Patriarch KIRILL was greeted at 0900 hrs ; and then, after his vesting, began the Confession of Faith of the Bishop-elect TIKHON of Podolsk. The Divine Liturgy followed, which included the Consecration of Bishop TIKHON of Podolsk (Vladyka TIKHON had previously been the head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Representation to the Jerusalem Patriarchate). After the completion of the Liturgy, and the exchange of formal greetings by the two Church-Heads, there was a formal dinner in the lower level of the Cathedral. Following this dinner, the entourage was given a tour of the Cathedral, and then withdrew to the Danilovskaya Hotel for a pause. The entourage was then gathered for a Concert at 1830 hrs. The Concert, “The Moscow Paschal Festival”, was given at the Moscow Conservatory, and consisted in two major pieces : Act II from Rimsky-Korsakov’s Opera “Skazanie O nevidimom grade Kitezhe I seve Fevronii”; and Act III from Richard Wagner’s Opera “Parsival”. Archbishop HILARION (Alfeyev), and Bishop ALEXANDER were with us during this most interesting Concert, which was directed by Valerii Gergiev, whom we met during the interval. The hall, built by Nikolai Rubenstein, dates from the 1860s.
Early on Monday morning, we departed for the Trinity-St Sergius Lavra at Sergeiev Posad. Metropolitan JONAH was met at the gates of the Monastery by the Abbot, Archbishop FEOGNOST. He and the entourage were led to the Holy Trinity Temple, to venerate the Relics of St Sergius of Radonezh, and then to the Holy Dormition Temple, to venerate the Relics of St Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, Enlightener of North America. In both Temples there were Relics of other holy persons to venerate, as well. Then the entourage was taken to the buildings of the Moscow Seminary and Academy, where Metropolitan JONAH was greeted by its Rector, Archbishop EVGENII. His Beatitude venerated the Altar of the Chapel (the Chapel is the size of many of our parish churches), and all were taken on a tour of the Museum. During this time, His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH presented a substantial quantity of Orthodox Study Bibles to the Academy for student use. This was followed by a dinner near the Rector’s Office. Here, conversation was very animated, regarding theological education, and spiritual formation of both Orthodox pastors, and Orthodox believers. It was an excellent, and productive conversation. After some more time spent on the territory of the Lavra, the entourage visited the Sophrino Shop in the middle of the city, and then travelled to the USA Embassy, where there was a half-hour meeting with the Ambassador. At this time, our Russian guides had to leave us because of the Embassy’s security requirements. We understood that the relationship between the OCA’s Representation and the Embassies of both the USA and Canada are both good, and active. Both Ambassadors, and some staff, visit the Representation Church often. Following this visit, there was a visit to St Catherine’s Representation Church, at which time Metropolitan JONAH was interviewed at length. This was followed by a visit to the Novospassky Monastery, and Archbishop ALEKSY. This visit was very pleasant, and more informal than the visits thus far. The Novospassky Monastery has a smaller brotherhood than many, though healthy, and the community lacks the large donors of other communities. Here, there is no paid choir. The Novospassky Catholicon has in its crypt the tombs of some significant persons, particularly members of the Romanov family.
On Tuesday morning, we left the hotel at mid-morning to visit the Sretinsky Monastery, which is near the Kremlin, next to what was formerly the Lyublianka Prison. This monastery is named for the feast of the arrival, and meeting in Moscow, of the Icon of the Theotokos of Vladimir. In the monastery’s precincts were formerly both killed, and buried many persons, and it is reckoned that over 500 persons lie buried in the grounds. Much of the open-space of the grounds are now flower-gardens. The buildings house the monks, book-stores (perhaps the largest in Moscow), and an active Seminary. Adjacent buildings formerly belonged also to the monastery, but they presently belong to others. In the crypt of the Temple, there is a shrine-chapel regarding the Shroud of Turin. Here, in this chapel, the brotherhood serves every night services for the departed. During this visit, we stopped twice, in different buildings, for tea with the Abbot, Archimandrite Tikhon. At noon, we returned to the Hotel, and we walked to the Synod Building on the Danilovsky Monastery territory, for our meeting with His Holiness, Patriarch KIRILL. This building also serves as one of the official Patriarchal Residences. This meeting had two elements. The first element was a meeting of the two delegations in the throne/meeting room, where we sat face-à-face. The Patriarch’s delegation included, among others, both Archbishop HILARION, the new Head of the Department of External Church Relations, and Archpriest Nicholas Balashov, the new First Deputy Head of the DECR. There was a formal conversation between Patriarch KIRILL and Metropolitan JONAH regarding the overall situation of the Orthodox Church in North America, and the rôle in it of The Orthodox Church in America. His Holiness took care to underline one more time the support of the Autocephaly of The Orthodox Church in America, as given by the Russian Orthodox Church. His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH responded in terms which indicated that we appear to be in many ways “on the same page”. He also emphasised that the two Churches have similar local missionary challenges, and that we might very well be able to help each other in this work. At the end of the lengthy conversation, there were photographs, and mutual award-presentations. The second element was a dinner in the nearby formal refectory designed for this purpose, at which these conversations continued over food. We were given a generous amount of time, and there was no apparent hurry. Soon after the conclusion of this meeting, Metropolitan JONAH was again interviewed. This was followed by a rest-period, and supper. At this time, we parted company with Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky, who would return to the USA soon. We then boarded the night-train to St Petersburg, which departed at 2340 hrs.
On Wednesday, we rose for the arrival of the train to St Petersburg at 0830 hrs. The entourage was met by Ivan Nikolaevich Sudossa, Secretary of Metropolitan VLADIMIR of St Petersburg, who was away at the time. We were taken for breakfast to the St Petersburg Academy, adjacent to, and “behind” the St Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where we were greeted formally by the Rector, Bishop AMVROSI, and Staff and Students. I also had the opportunity (all too briefly) to greet our Juliania Anatoliëvna Melnyk of Montréal, who is studying at the Academy, and to meet her fiancé, Vasili, also a student there, and to bless them (they already had received the Academy’s blessing to marry). How joyful the two appeared. I also met briefly Vyacheslav Rugoza, formerly of Montréal, now of Kyiv, a second-year student there. After being fed well, we were driven quickly to the Sts Peter & Paul Fortress, outside which a helicopter was awaiting us. There was also a greeting of Metropolitan JONAH with Paschal spiritual songs by a group of school-children, priests, and teachers. We then flew to Valaam Monastery, which took a little over an hour, and we landed in St Herman’s Field near the main Monastery. There, we were greeted by the Abbot (Deputy Abbot for Patriarch KYRILL), Bishop PANKRATII. We then were taken to the Monastery itself, where we left our baggage. Then followed the formal greeting in the Lower Church of Sts Sergius & Herman, and a brief visit to the main, fully restored Church of the Transfiguration. This was followed by dinner with Bishop PANKRATII. We then began visiting four Sketes without an interval : All Saints ; Smolensk ; Resurrection ; Gethsemane. All of these buildings were in very poor, or ruined condition on my last visit, and now they are either fully restored and functioning, or they are nearly so. Bishop PANKRATII indicated that the foundational, stable population of the Archipelago at this time is around 120. He said that the Monastery has many Representations elsewhere, manned by monks, and there are also always some monks absent for work, for study, or because of illness. One of the Superiors, Father Seraphim, is a Hieromonk I had met many years before at the Monastery of St John the Baptist in Essex, UK. He is now leading a community of thirteen monks in one of the Sketes. We returned quite late in the afternoon, missed Vespers, and participated in Matins for the Feast of St Alexander of Svir, a Wonder-working Abbot of another community on another island. After Matins, we adjourned for an evening meal with Bishop PANKRATII, and we retired.
On Thursday morning, we all went early to the Temple to prepare for the greeting of Metropolitan JONAH for the serving of the Divine Liturgy on this Feast Day of the Wonder-worker St Alexander of Svir. Metropolitan JONAH was greeted at 0830 hrs, and the Primatial Liturgy followed, served by the three bishops, with about fourteen priests, and four deacons. The monastic choir sang in its characteristic blend of Valaam Chant, Constantinopolitan Chant (through Vatopedi, Mt Athos, with which the Monastery has strong ties), and Obikhod. At any time little of the usual Russian-style harmony is used, but rather melody with ison in the singing. After the Liturgy, we ate in the Trapeza, with the brethren. The entourage then went to the harbour, where we boarded two hovercraft that took us over water, and remaining patches of ice, to two of the 52 islands in this archipelago. The first was Holy Island. This is the site of the St Alexander of Svir Skete, which includes both the Skete’s Chapel, with housing, and also the Cave of St Alexander. It is he who is known for having been given a Vision of the Holy Trinity. The Saint’s Relics are not in this monastery now, but rather at the Monastery of St Alexander of Svir, at the south end of Lake Ladoga. After this visit, we departed for St Elia’s Skete, on another nearby island. In this place there is a remarkable log-built Church in Karelian style, which was built also using no metal nails at all, but only wooden pegs where necessary. There are other log-built quarters nearby, also. The log-built Guest-house includes Canadian red cedar as panelling on the interior. On this island, and in many places in these parts, including St Petersburg, there was a blue flower blooming in profusion. It is among the earliest after the departure of the snow. Its name is Petchonitsnitsya, a violet, and appears a little like the scilla that we have at home in the spring. After long walks, and talks, we re-boarded the hover-craft to return to the main island of Valaam, for tea. Both Metropolitan JONAH and Bishop PANKRATII adjourned to another skete for private conversations. After a rest period, there was supper (which is never just fifteen minutes). During the supper, there was a lengthy reflection on the multitude of developments, repairs, and reconstructions, which have occurred during the Abbacy of Bishop PANKRATII (whose civil profession had been as an architect).
On Friday, 1 May, we rose for breakfast, and then a continuation of the visitation. One visit was at the Skete of St Vladimir. This is a skete new to the Monastery, established under the late Patriarch ALEXY II. Although new, its architecture is in “classical” style in appearance. It has nearby an official residence each for the Patriarch, and for the President of Russia. Returning to Valaam Monastery for Dinner, and a visit to some chapels (one being of the Theotokos, where the Psalter is continuously read), we then flew by helicopter to St Petersburg. There, we were met by Bishop AMVROSI, of the Academy, and by the leadership of the Metropolia, and we were taken quickly to the St John of Rila Women’s Monastery, to venerate the Relics of St John of Kronstadt, and to pray briefly in the Monastery Church. We were unable to stop long enough for tea, as we were quite late. Then we drove to the Smolensk Cemetery, where we first visited the Cemetery Church, and then the Chapel of St Xenia of St Petersburg, where rest her relics, which we also venerated. Metropolitan JONAH, and Archimandrite Zacchaeus then left our group early, to fly back to Moscow. The remainder of the group then drove to the St Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where we venerated the Relics of St Alexander Nevsky, and visited the historic cemetery. We paid a particular visit to the grave of Metropolitan NIKODIM, and to the Cemetery Church of St Nicholas. We then travelled to St Vladimir’s Sobor, where we prayed in this historic, now mostly-restored Temple, and then adjourned to the Parish House for a generous supper. At its conclusion, the group went to the Railway Station to board the Night Train for Moscow.
Arriving early on Saturday Morning, the delegation went first to the Danilovskaya Hotel, and then went quickly to St Catherine’s Church, where we served the Divine Liturgy. There were six bishops, including Archbihop HILARION of Volokolamsk, and Bishop ZOSIMA of Yakutsk, and also about fourteen priests, and four deacons concelebrating. Later, Bishop ZOSIMA repeated his invitation to me that I soon visit Yakutsk, since Siberia has few visitors from abroad, and the faithful need encouragement, and since Yakutia was a major centre of St Innocent’s missionary activity. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, all walked to a nearby restaurant for a formal dinner, and then we drove to the St Tikhon’s University, adjacent to the Church of St Nicholas, quite near to St Catherine’s Church. The Rector of both the University, and the Church, is the Mitred Archpriest Vladimir Vorobev. Here, we participated in the afternoon of the Third Annual St Innocent Readings, a Seminar devoted to St Innocent of Moscow’s life, and missionary work. One of the Faculty is a former student at St Vladimir’s in New York, now Professor, Dr Alexander Dvorkin. He participated in the whole day’s events along with us. Another professor is Dr Andrei B Efimov, who has friends in Canada, and who, like Dr Dvorkin, is a long-time friend of our Metropolitan. At the conclusion of this, following tea, we participated in the Vigil at St Nicholas’ Church. Departing quickly from there, we drove to the Church of the Theotokos where we met Archbishop HILARION, in the midst of Matins. After an exchange of greetings, and venerating the local Wonder-working Icon of the Theotokos, we departed for the Hotel for supper, and rest.
Early on Sunday Morning, we arose, and drove to the Kremlin, in order to serve the Divine Liturgy together with Patriarch KIRILL at the Cathedral of the Dormition there. The choir this day was that from the Sretinsky Monastery, by some considered currently the best men’s choir in the city. Following the Liturgy, there was the usual dinner, during which there were very warm, and mutually supportive words repeatedly exchanged by Patriarch KIRILL, and Metropolitan JONAH. Further, our Metropolitan continues easily to establish new, warm connexions with those he encounters. Following this, there was a brief visit to the Tretyakov Gallery, in order to venerate the Wonder-working Icon of the Theotokos of Vladimir, which resides in the working Church there. From there, we went to the Pokrovsky Women’s Monastery, to venerate the Relics of St Matrona. After this, we were taken to both of the main Churches to venerate the Holy Tables there, and the Sisterhood gave us a brief dessert with tea. At the same time, many of the girls of the Monastery’s Orphanage recited, and sang for us, and several played mandolin, guitar, and electronic piano. It was a very moving experience. On the previous day, I had spoken with Father Arkady, who oversees the St Dmitri Hospital, the Nursing School, and four orphanages. When I first met him, it was in the early days of the first of these orphanages. He said that the great challenge the orphans face is that they do not know how to love, and that is quite understandable under the circumstances. The ecclesial institutions give opportunities the State cannot, or will not give. In State orphanages, children are released to the streets at the age of 16, with nothing. After departing from the Monastery, we went to the Moscow River, where we were given a quiet period on a boat for about two hours. We disembarked, and returned to the hotel for the usual farewell dinner with Archbishop HILARION, Archimandrite Alexei, and others. It is useful to note that the warmth of the weather had continued through most of the week, albeit at slightly lower temperatures than at first, and the result was both a profusion of early spring flowers, and the appearance, over the course of one week (!) of green leaves on the trees. It is also useful to repeat for reminder that, by-and-large, the Church does not yet actually “own” its own properties, and buildings. They “rent” them.
On Monday morning, very early, I left for Canada, while the remainder of the delegation rose later, and after breakfast drove to the Epiphany Cathedral, where a Litya was offered by Metropolitan JONAH and the delegation for the recently-departed Patriarch ALEXY II, at his tomb. The delegation then made its departure from Moscow, accompanied by the representatives of the Patriarchate to the Aeroport. En route to home, during the long interval in Frankfurt am Main Aeroport, yet another, unmistakeably providential, event occurred : as I was sitting in a side-area waiting-area, working on a text, I was greeted by Archpriest Anatoliy and Matushka Irina Melnyk. They were on their way to St Petersburg for a week, to see their daughter, Juliania, and to meet their soon-to-be son-in-law, and his mother. One cannot pre-arrange such things so that they actually happen (at least it doesn’t work for me) ! Someone else, for instance, had hoped to meet me in Moscow, and we had made a tentative plan, but it did not happen. This did. Glory be to God for everything, and for His tender care for us all. This is evident on very many levels, and it is important that we recognise it, and give thanks.
CHRIST IS RISEN