Kimisis Parish of Southampton welcomes Archbishop Justinian, Representative of Moscow Patriarchate

Archbishop Justinian praying before the Divine Liturgy.

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On Sunday, December 11, 2011, the Kimisis Parish of Southampton welcomed His Eminence Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, the Representative of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA who presided at the Divine Liturgy. Archbishop Justinian was accompanied by the Very Rev. Mitered Archpriest Alexander Golubov and the clergy (priests, deacons and sub-deacons) of the St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York City. The Divine Liturgy was served entirely in Church Slavonic with the members of the St. Nicholas Cathedral Choir chanting a magnificent Liturgy in the finest Russian tradition. The church was filled to more than capacity as many members of the local, Russian, Belo-Russian and Ukrainian communities came to join their fellow Orthodox Christian brothers and sisters in worship.

His Eminence blesses with the dikiri candle.

The Kimisis Parish clergy, Protopresbyter Alexander Karloutsos and Fr. Constantine Lazarakis, welcomed Archbishop Justinian Saturday evening the 11th at the annual Parish Christmas Tree lighting. This event was followed by a dinner hosted in His Eminence’s honor, together with his clergy. Fr. Mark Arey, Director of Inter-Orthodox Relations for the Archdiocese was also present.

In his welcoming remarks to Archbishop Justinian after the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Karloutsos expressed a special welcome on behalf of Archbishop Demetrios of America, with whose blessing the visit was organized. He also stressed the historical relationship between the Great Church of Christ, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Patriarchate of Moscow. Fr. Karloutsos, on behalf of the Parish, gifted the Archbishop with an icon of St. Luke, Bishop of Simferopol and Crimea, the Blessed Surgeon ( a modern Saint who reposed in 1961).

His Eminence presents an icon of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker to Father Alex Karloutsos and Father Constantine Lazarakis. (Photos by J. Mindala)

In his response, Archbishop Justinian echoed the solidarity of Orthodox Christianity and the need for closer cooperation and synergy. He stressed the history of the two great Patriarchates of Constantinople and Moscow, and how this history should inspire all Orthodox Christians to grow closer to one another in the Gospel. At the end of his remarks, he presented the Parish with a magnificent icon of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra the Wonderworker.

Following a reception in the Church Hall for all, a luncheon was given in honor of the Archbishop, together with the serving clergy and the choir.