Victory Day in South Africa

On 9 May 2024, Thursday of Holy Week, Metropolitan Constantine of Zaraisk, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Johannesburg. He was served by the rector of the church, Archpriest Daniel Lugovoi. In the chapel in the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir a thanksgiving prayer was offered to the Lord God for the granting of victory in the Great Patriotic War.

On Sunday 12 May the Victory Day celebrations continued. The Immortal Regiment - portraits of relatives and friends of parishioners who took part in the Great Patriotic War - was placed in the parish centre. After the Sunday service there was a tea party, during which our parishioner Victor told a touching personal story about finding relatives who had long been missing in action during the war. After much effort and with God's help, he managed not only to locate the place of their deaths, but also to find the place of their burial.

On the same day, in co-operation with CSRS South Africa, an excursion to the National Military History Museum of South Africa was organised for Sunday school students and children of compatriots. With the assistance of George and David Kochukov, a separate exposition dedicated to the USSR's participation in World War II was opened there several years ago. Sunday school student Stepan Lugovoi, dressed in the uniform of those years, and Matushka Elena spoke about the main stages of the war, the unparalleled courage of the defenders of the Fatherland and the colossal sacrifices they made fighting for the Motherland.

During the talk about the siege of Leningrad, the children were able to hold a piece of bread weighing 125 g - the norm of bread distribution during those tragic years, and also to hear the sound of the metronome, which became a symbol of the siege of Leningrad.

The tour ended at the Soviet military equipment on display in the courtyard of the museum. Among other exhibits, the children particularly liked the T-34 tank. The most active of the participants were able to visit the inside of the tank.