On the Feast of Holy Transfiguration, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Liturgy in Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow and officiates at consecration of Archimandrite Yevfimy (Kulikov) as Bishop of Anadyr
DECR Communication Service, 19/08/2026
On 19th August 2026, the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow.
That day marked the 30th anniversary of the consecration of the Holy Transfiguration Church – the lower church of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.
Upon his arrival at the church, His Holiness venerated the relics of St. Philaret the Metropolitan of Moscow, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and the relics of St. Spyridon of Tremithus which had been brought to the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour the day before by a delegation of the Kerkyra Metropolis of the Orthodox Church of Greece, led by Metropolitan Nektarios of Kerkyra.
During the divine service, Archimandrite Yevfimy (Kulikov) was consecrated as Bishop of Anadyr and Chukotka. It was done in compliance with a decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of 16th July 2026 (Minutes No. 50).
Among His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s concelebrants were: Metropolitan Grigory of Voskresensk, Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate, Patriarchal First Vicar for the city of Moscow; Metropolitan Nektarios of Kerkyra, Paxoi and the Diapontian Islands; Metropolitan Tikhon of Simferopol and Crimea, Chairman of the Patriarchal Council for Culture; Metropolitan Arseny of Zvenigorod; Bishop Veniamin of Rybinsk and Romanov-Borisoglebsk; Bishop Ioann of Shuya and Teykovo; Bishop Leonid of Argentina and South America; Bishop Alexy of Ramenskoye, Patriarchal Personal Secretary; Bishop Ioann of Bronnitsy; Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov, Patriarchal Secretary for the city of Moscow; Archpriest Mikhail Ryazantsev, Sacristan of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour; Archpriest Georgios Vlachos, Rector of the Cathedral of St. Spyridon of Tremithus in Kerkyra, custodian of St. Spyridon’s relics; Hieromonk Dositheos (Papamitros), cleric of the Kerkyra Metropolis; Hegumen Gavriil (Lysov), Rector of the Monastery of the Life-Giving Cross in the village of Pogost Krest in Shuya Diocese; Hieromonk Ioasaf (Petrovykh), Secretary of the Diocesan Administration of the Anadyr Diocese; Archpriest Sergy Trofimovich, cleric of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Anadyr; Priest Vasily Kovalchuk, Secretary of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Commission for Pilgrimage and Bringing of Shrines; and the Moscow clergy.
Attending the divine service were, among others, Mr S.G. Obryvalin, First Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation; Mr V.G. Kuznetsov, Governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Area; Mr Ye.V. Kovalchuk, Acting Governor ad interim of the Bryansk Region; Ms Ye.O. Serova, cosmonaut, Hero of Russia; Mr V.R. Legoyda, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media; Mr A.D. Kaprin, Honoured Doctor of the Russian Federation, Director General of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation; Mr A.V. Karmakov, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Regional Energy Company; Mr M.L. Parnev, Director General of GTLK (State Transport Leasing Company); Mr A.V. Shchipkov, Deputy Head of the World Russian People’s Council, Rector of the St. John the Theologian Russian Orthodox University; Mr M.M. Ivanov, Deputy Head of the World Russian People’s Council, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the All-Russian Public Movement “Orthodox Russia;” and Mr P.A. Spyridonidis, Assistant to Metropolitan Nektarios of Kerkyra.
Liturgical hymns were performed by the Patriarchal Choir of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour conducted by I.B. Tolkachev.
Some of the litanies and liturgical prayers were read in the Greek language.
The Patriarchal Liturgy was broadcast live on “Soyuz” and “Spas” TV channels, as well as on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church – patriarchia.ru.
During the Litany of Fervent Supplication, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church offered the Prayer for the Holy Rus’.
A sermon prior to the communion was delivered by Archpriest Alexy Mityushin, Rector of the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity – Patriarchal Metochion in Kosino, Moscow.
After the Liturgy, the Primate of the Russian Church addressed Bishop Yevfimy of Anadyr and Chukotka with an exhortation and presented him with an episcopal crozier. The newly consecrated bishop gave his first archpastoral blessing to the faithful.
His Holiness performed the blessing of fruit of the new harvest in accordance with the tradition of the Holy Transfiguration Feast and delivered a homily.
His Holiness presented Metropolitan Nektarios of Kerkyra, Paxoi and the Diapontian Islands with the Order of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, 2nd Class, in consideration of his contribution to strengthening friendly relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Greece.
Metropolitan Nektarios thanked His Holiness Patriarch Kirill for the award, saying that he was especially honoured to share the joy of the Feast of the Holy Transfiguration and celebrate the Divine Liturgy with the Primate and hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Metropolitan Nektarios also mentioned that he had known His Holiness Patriarch Kirill in his former capacity as Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and compared His Holiness to the late Primate of the Orthodox Church of Greece, Archbishop Christodoulos (Paraskevaidis, †2008). “I had the pleasure of knowing you before you became the Patriarch,” the hierarch said, “Back when you served as chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, you visited our metropolis and celebrated the Divine Liturgy. I compared you to Archbishop Christodoulos, who in times of hardships had managed to rightly handle the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). And you indeed rightly handle the word of truth, as a spiritual magnet attracting people and the youth in particular, who flock to the Russian Orthodox Church, filling churches and returning from atheism to faith.”
The hierarch asked His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to bless the people of God with St. Spyridon’s right hand – the very same that had revealed the verity of the Orthodox faith at the First Ecumenical Council. The shrine was taken out of the reliquary, and His Holiness blessed the worshippers with the saint’s hand.
After that, Metropolitan Nektarios presented to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill the highest award of the Kerkyra Metropolis – the Order of Golden Cross with the Star of St. Spyridon.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed the faithful, saying in particular:
“Dear hierarchs, fathers, brothers and sisters, once again I extend to you my heartfelt greetings on this remarkable feast day!
“May the Lord preserve us all in faith, love and like-mindedness. When I say this, I mean both our flock in Russia and all Orthodox Christians throughout the world. We rejoice that today our Greek brothers have celebrated this divine service with us and we have had this opportunity to pray together.
“May the blessing of God and the Intercession of our Heavenly Queen be with our Orthodox peoples, our country, the Church and all those who with faith and love treasure in their heart the Divine commandments and strive to live accordingly. Festal greetings to all of you!”
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the consecration of the Holy Transfiguration (lower) Church of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, His Holiness presented its clergy with the altar Gospel and liturgical covers.
An award ceremony followed.
In consideration of his professional medical service and on the occasion of his 60th birthday, Mr A.D. Kaprin, Honoured Doctor of the Russian Federation, Director General of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Director of the Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute, was awarded the Order of St. Luke the Confessor, Archbishop of Crimea, 2nd Class.
In consideration to her contribution to promoting church-state relations and on the occasion of her jubilee, Ms Ye.O. Serova, cosmonaut, Hero of Russia, Advisor to the Governor of the Moscow Region, was awarded the Order of St. Euphrosyne, Great Princess of Moscow, 2nd Class.
In the altar of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, a conversation took place between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Nektarios and members of the Greek delegation. It was followed by a gift exchange.