Cornerstone for Russian Orthodox Church Laid in Madrid

Archbishop Mark (Golovkov) of Yegorevsk and Bishop Nestor (Sirotenko) of Korsun of the Russian Orthodox Church have laid the cornerstone for the first permanent Russian Orthodox church in Madrid. A parish previously existed in the Spanish capital, but functioned as a house church and later closed, only being revived in 2001 when the Moscow Patriarchate established a new parish dedicated to the Nativity of the Lord. More (in Russian) here.

Russian Orthodox Archbishop Visits Bratislava, Karlovy Vary

Archbishop Mark (Golovkov) of Yegorevsk, auxiliary of the Moscow Patriarchate for its institutions abroad, has visited the representations of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Czechoslovak Orthodox Church in Bratislava, Slovakia, and Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, to discuss the life of the representation in Bratislava and plans to build a Russian cultural center in the Slovakian capital, whilst in Karlovy Vary Archbishop Mark led commemorations of the 300th anniversary of the visit of Tsar Peter I of Russia to the city. Metropolitan Krystof (Pulec) of Prague and Archbishop Juraj (Stransky) of Michalovce were both present for the services in Karlovy Vary. More (in Russian) here.

Russian, Romanian Orthodox Hierarchs Celebrate St. Stephen's Day in Budapest

On the new style celebration of the feast of St. Stephen of Hungary and the celebration of the founding of the Hungarian state Archbishop Mark (Golovkov) of Yegorevsk, auxiliary of the Moscow Patriarchate and administrator of the Eparchy of Budapest, and Bishop Siluan of Gyula of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Hungary concelebrated the Divine Liturgy in Budapest's Cathedral of the Dormition, afterwards staying for a celebratory meal with the cathedral's parishioners. During the state celebrations of the holiday later that day the rector of Budapest's Church of St. Sergius, Archpriest John Kadar, was awarded the Knight's Cross by the President of Hungary. More (in Russian) here.

Pyongyang Church Celebrates 5th Anniversary

With the blessing of Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by Archbishop Mark (Golovkov) of Yegorevsk has visited North Korea to lead celebrations of the 5th anniversary of the founding of the Moscow Patriarchate's parish in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. Representatives of the nearby Eparchy of Vladivostok in Russia and of the Ethiopian, Romanian, and Russian Embassies and diplomatic missions in Pyongyang also took part in the celebrations. More here.

First Slavonic Divine Liturgy in Rome Commemorated 1,000+ Years Later

On the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius the Orthodox Church in Rome commemorated the Equals-to-the-Apostles by celebrating a Slavonic-language Divine Liturgy in the Roman Catholic Basilica of St. Maria Maggiore, the place of the first Slavonic-language Divine Liturgy served with the blessing of Pope Adrian II of Rome over a thousand years ago.

Archbishop Mark (Golovkov) of Yegorevsk, auxiliary of the Moscow Patriarchate, led the festal services, which were concelebrated by Archbishop Alexander (Drabynko) of Pereyaslav-Khmel'nyts'kyi, auxiliary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's Kiev Metropolitanate, and Bishop Nestor (Sirotenko) of Korsun, ruling bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in southwestern Europe. More (in Russian) here.

First Post-Schism Church in Reykjavik

Archbishop Mark (Golovkov) of Yegorevsk of the Russian Orthodox Church will bless the cornerstone of the Church of St. Nicholas in Reykjavik, Iceland, this month. St. Nicholas' is the first Orthodox church on Iceland since the Great Schism of 1054. More (in Russian) here.

Ratchaburi Monastery Opened in Thailand

Holy Dormition Monastery in Ratchaburi, Thailand, has been officially opened! Some beautiful pictures from the opening of the Monastery and the blessing of its church together a full write-up of the ceremonies in Russian can be found here . So far the Monastery's brotherhood includes novices from Laos, Romania, and Russia as well as from Thailand itself. The full consecration of the Monastery's church is expected to celebrated by Archbishop Mark of Yegorevsk, auxiliary to the patriarch, in November of this year.