New York – Last evening, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America departed for Moscow, accompanied by Archdeacon Panteleimon, in order to join the Official Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the funeral of the late Patriarch Alexy II. In an important signal of the fraternal and cooperative spirit between the Ecumenical and Moscow Patriarchates, His All Holiness Bartholomew is leading the Delegation (which also includes Metropolitan Germanos of Tranoupolis, the Grand Archdeacon Maximos, the Grand Ecclesiarch Fr. Benjamin, and Mr. Nikolaos Manginas, journalist and photographer). The funeral for the late Patriarch is set for Tuesday in the Christ the Savior Cathedral, the largest Church in Russia, with burial in the Epiphany Cathedral.
On Friday evening, December 5th, Archbishop Demetrios attended the official Memorial Service, conducted by the Moscow Patriarchal Vicar in the USA, Bishop Mercurius of Zaraisk, at the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Moscow Patriarchate in New York City. As Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Archbishop represented not only the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, but also the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) as Chairman. Also present from SCOBA were Proto-Presbyters of the Antiochian Archdiocese, the Serbian Archdiocese, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) and the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). The Papal Nuncio to the United Nations, the Russian Ambassador to the United Nations, the Russian Consul General and an official representative from the Armenian Orthodox Church joined the faithful who filled the Cathedral to capacity.
After the Memorial Service, at the invitation of Bishop Mercurius, Archbishop Demetrios addressed the congregation. In his remarks, His Eminence spoke of his long acquaintance with the late Patriarch and of the extraordinary rebirth of the Russian Orthodox Church under his 18 year reign on the Patriarchal Throne. After extending consolations to the assembled faithful on behalf of SCOBA, the Archbishop greeted the dignitaries and congregants. The Service was filmed for Russian television (Channel 1) and was broadcast in part the next day, Saturday. Part of the broadcast included an interview with the Archbishop that was conducted after his remarks.
