On Sunday evening, September 12, 2010, Archimandrite Zacchaeus, Representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchate, who by invitation of His Grace, Bishop SAVA of Tiraspol and Dubossary is in Tiraspol to participate in the celebrations held in honor of the 15th Anniversary of the diocese’s establishment, attended a festal performance and concert for the occasion at the State Theatre in the city center.
In addition to the Diocesan Hierarch, His Grace, Bishop SAVA of Tiraspol and Dubossary, also in attendance were Representatives of the Orthodox Churches of Antioch, Russia, Georgia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, the Czech lands and Slovakia, America, Ukraine and Moldova. In addition, participating in the event was Igor N. Smirnov, the President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) together with officials from his government.
At the start of the Act, Bishop SAVA offered an interesting presentation on the history of the Diocese and its leading hierarchs and clergy. Afterwards, Bishop SAVA awarded Igor N. Smirnov with a Diocesan Order for his help in restoring and renovating churches within the diocese. Afterwards, Mr. Smirnov spoke words of gratitude and presented His Grace with a Presidential Medal of Appreciation in honor of the diocesan anniversary as well as the bishop’s own 15th anniversary of Episcopal consecration.
Following the official act, a festal performance including choral singing and an orchestral concert was offered to the guests present. At the conclusion of the performance, His Eminence, Archbishop NIPHON of Philipopolsk and Representative of the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East to the Moscow Patriarchate offered words of congratulations to Bishop SAVA on behalf of the Representatives of the Local Autocephalous Orthodox Churches.
Later that evening, Bishop SAVA of Tiraspol and Dubossary together with President Igor N. Smirnov hosted a festal dinner on the occasion of the 15th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Diocese of Tiraspol and Dubossary. There, Archimandrite Zacchaeus was awarded the Presidential Medal in honor of the “20th Anniversary of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic” by Edict of the President of PMR Igor N. Smirnov.
