Catholicos Karekin Visits Moscow, Blesses New Cathedral

This past Sunday Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II (Nersessian) of Echmiadzin visited Moscow to bless the crosses of the large Armenian Orthodox cathedral under construction there. Bishop Ezras (Nersisyan) of Novo-Nakhichevan participated in the service with Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk of the Russian Orthodox Church also in attendance together with Armenian President Serzh Sargsian and other representatives of the Armenian government and the Armenian Diaspora in Russia. More here.

Catholicos Karekin Visits St. Petersburg

Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II (Nersessian) of Echmiadzin has begun his visit to St. Petersburg, being welcomed to the city by Bishop Yezras (Nersissian) of Novo-Nakhichevan, who serves the Armenian Orthodox Church in Russia. Catholicos Karekin began his time in St. Petersburg with a visit to the city's Armenian Orthodox Church of St. Catherine before moving on to participate in the launch of a book on Russian-Armenian relations. More on Catholicos Karekin's ongoing visit to St. Petersburg can be found here.

Metropolitan Hilarion Meets with Armenian Orthodox Bishop in Russia

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk of the Russian Orthodox Church met today with members of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Moscow, among them Bishop Yezras (Nersissian) of Novo-Nakhichevan and Russia of the Echmiadzin Catholicate. In greeting Bishop Yezras and his flock Metropolitan Hilarion noted the love of Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of All Rus' for Armenia and referred to the country as "very dear" to him personally as well. More here.

There is a large and vibrant Armenian Diaspora in Russia due to the long periods that eastern Armenia spent as part of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union. The Armenian Orthodox Diocese of Novo-Nakhichevan and Russia is currently building a church and administrative center in Moscow for the Armenian Orthodox Church in Russia.