Государство Израиль
On the visit of Ambassador of Russia to Israel to the Gornensky Convent in Ein Kerem
On April 25, at the Gornensky Convent in Ein Kerem, Ambassador of Russia to Israel Anatoly Viktorov and his spouse attended a service to commemorate the meeting of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the righteous Elizabeth.
With the blessing of the Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, the Divine Liturgy was led by Archbishop Theofan of Gerassa. His Eminence was assisted by the Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev), and the clergy of the Mission, Archimandrite Amphilochius and Archdeacon Mark (Jerusalem Patriarchate), as well as pilgrims in holy orders. The service was conducted in Church Slavonic, Greek, Arabic and Kurdish.
During the conversation that took place on the same day between Anatoly Viktorov and Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeev), practical aspects of strengthening the cultural and spiritual Christian presence in the Holy Land were discussed.
Ambassador of Belarus to Israel Yuri Yaroshevich with his spouse and the abbess of the Gornensky Convent Ekaterina (Chernysheva), also took part in the events.
The celebration of the meeting of the Blessed Virgin Mary with Saint Righteous Elizabeth was established in 1883 by the Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin), who himself composed the rite of the Feast of the Kissing and contributed to its establishment by the Holy Synod.