BUENOS AIRES: January 25, 2022
Archpastors of three Local Churches concelebrate Divine Liturgy

On Sunday, January 23, 2022, hierarchs of three Local Orthodox Churches came together to concelebrate the Divine Liturgy in the house Church of St Alexander Nevsky in Buenos Aires.

The Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Santiago of Buenos Aires and All Argentina (Antiochian), His Grace Bishop Leonid of Argentina and South America (Russian Orthodox Church), His Grace Bishop John of Caracas and South America (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia), and His Grace Bishop Kirilo of Buenos Aires and South-Central America (Serbian Orthodox Church), reports the local Russian diocese.

Following the dismissal, the troparion, kontakion and magnification for the feast of Theophany were sung, then Bp Kirilo read a prayer to St Theophan the Recluse, whose feast day it was.

In his address, Bp Leonid noted his joy that the hierarchs were finally able to get together after many delays last year, and he presented each bishop with an icon of St Alexander Nevsky, whose 800th anniversary was celebrated by the Russian Church last year.

In his address, Metropolitan Santiago emphasized that “the fraternal relations between the Moscow, Antiochian, and Serbian Patriarchates are very old and very deep.”

Orthodox calendars for 2022, printed with the blessing of Bp Kirilo, were presented to all as they kissed the cross at the end of the service.

In November 2020, Metropolitan Santiago, Bp John and Bp Kirilo were joined by Metropolitan Joseph of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in issuing a strong pro-life message against a then-proposed bill to legalize abortion.