JERUSALEM: April 17, 2019
Tonsures at the convents of Mt of Olives and Gethsemane

In the course of a short visit to the Holy Land, His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany, Overseer of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, tonsured nuns at the convents of the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane.

On Thursday of the fifth week of great Lent, His Eminence tonsured Novice Tatyana (Nikoforova) to the rassa with the name Susanna in honor of St Susanna the Myrrh-bearer. Sister Susanna performs her obedience at the monastery refectory and sings at the kliros of Ascension of the Lord Convent on the Mount of Olives.

On Friday evening, the eve of the Laudation of the Most-Holy Mother of God, after matins and an akathist at St Mary Magdalene Church in Gethsemane, Archbishop Mark tonsured Nun Martha (Wall) and Nun Lukia (Orlova). Sr Martha was given the name Maria in honor of the other sister of St Lazarus of the Four-Day Resurrection, and Sr Lukia was given the name Evdokia in honor of the Holy Princess of Moscow. Mother Maria conducts her obedience at Russian Gethsemane Convent and the Community of the Resurrection of Christ in Bethany, where she is the Senior, and operates the Orthodox Bethany School for girls. Mother Evdokia bakes the prosphoras in Gethsemane.