Prague, February 3, 2014
On February 1, 2014, the enthronement of the newly-elected Archbishop Joachim of Prague and the Czech Lands took place at Ss Cyril and Methodius’s in Prague in the presence of numerous clergy and laity.
With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and at the invitation of the elected Metropolitan Rostislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, a large delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church was led to Prague by Metropolitan Feodosy of Tambov and Rasskazovo.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Archbishop Rostislav of Presov assisted by bishops and priests of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and guests who came for the celebrations.
The service was attended by ambassadors of Russia, Romania and Bulgaria, diplomats of Ukraine and Georgia, and representatives of other Churches in the Czech Republic.
After the liturgy, Metropolitan Rostislav addressed Archbishop Joachim of Prague with words of greeting. Metropolitan Feodosy of Tambov congratulated the new Archbishop of Prague on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and read out a congratulatory message from Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations.
Archbishop Joachim also received congratulatory messages from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Prague, Cardinal Dominik Duka, and other religious and public figures in the Czech Republic.
