Metropolitan Hilarion's visit to Lithuania.

October 7th, 2023. Metropolitan Hilarion's sermon after the Divine Liturgy at the Prechistensky Cathedral in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Thousands of Orthodox believers from all over Lithuania gathered in Vilnius on Saturday, 7 October, to take part in the Divine service and procession on the occasion of the arrival of the wonderworking Surdegis icon the Mother of God.
One of the main relics of Orthodox Lithuania arrived in Vilnius for the second time in 20 years - the tradition of bringing it to the capital was revived last year by Metropolitan Innocent.
On Saturday morning, the revered image of the Mother of God delivered from Kauņas was solemnly welcomed at the Holy Spirit Monastery in Vilnius and brought into the monastery church, where the Divine Liturgy began. The service was led by Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Budapest and Hungary, who arrived in Vilnius at the invitation of Metropolitan Innocent of Vilnius and Lithuania to take part in the celebrations.
Metropolitan Innocent, Bishop Ambrose of Trakai and the entire clergy of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church co-celebrated with the Vladyka.
After the Liturgy, the wonderworking icon was carried in a procession from the Holy Spirit Monastery to the Prechistensky Cathedral. On the way there, the procession made a stop in the centre of Vilnius - near the ancient Pyatnitsa church. It is in that church, with the blessing of Metropolitan Innocent, that the Ukrainian Orthodox community prays, ministered to by a canonical priest from Ukraine.
At the Pyatnitsa church, Metropolitan Innocent and his Vicar Bishop Ambrose offered special prayers for an end to the war in Ukraine. All the participants of the procession prayed with them. The prayer for peace was recited in Church Slavonic and Lithuanian.
A moleben was held in front of the Surdegis icon of the Mother of God at the Prechistensky Cathedral. All the faithful had the opportunity to walk under the miracle-working icon, as is tradition.
After the prayer service, Metropolitan Hilarion, who had begun his pastoral work in Lithuania many years ago, addressed the flock with an archpastoral address. The monastic tonsure and ordination as a hierodeacon of the future Metropolitan Hilarion took place in 1987 at the Holy Spirit Monastery, and the ordination as a hieromonk - at the Prechistensky Cathedral.
Metropolitan Hilarion said that he was very familiar with the Surdegis Icon of the Mother of God, as in the early nineties he served as the Rector of the Annunciation Cathedral in Kauņas , the place of permanent residence of that revered icon.
In his sermon, His Eminence called on all to maintain unity and fidelity to the Church.
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Other sermons and talks by Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev):
• • Talks and Sermons
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