On 22 June, the Week of All Saints in the Land of the Russian Gods Who Have Shone, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Sergius Cathedral in Johannesburg.
The Archpastor was served by Archpriest Archpriest Daniel Lugovoi, rector of the cathedral and dean of the parishes of the South African Diocese in South Africa, as well as members of the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate who are taking part in the meetings of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches taking place in Johannesburg these days: Archpriest Mikhail Gundyaev, representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the WCC and international organisations in Geneva, Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), Secretary of the Russian Orthodox Church for Inter-Christian Relations, and Priest Nikolai Vasin, Secretary to the Chairman of the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate.
Among those praying at the service was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to South Africa R.E. Ambarov.
At the end of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk delivered a sermon.
On behalf of the parishioners, Archpriest Daniel welcomed the Chairman of the DECC and the clergy accompanying him.
Then Vladyka Antony communicated with the faithful at a tea party in the parish centre.