|
On Thursday, September 17, 2009, with the blessing of His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH of All America and Canada, a panikhida was served at St. Catherine the Great Martyr – the Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) for the ever-memorable Bishop Basil (Rodzianko), retired hierarch of the OCA on the tenth anniversary of his blessed repose.
The panikhida was led by the OCA Representative in Moscow and Dean of St. Catherine the Great Martyr Church, Archimandrite Zacchaeus and concelebrated by the Abbot of Moscow’s Sretensky Stavropeghial Monastery, Archimandrite Tikhon and the Rector of St. John the Baptist Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad in Washington, DC, Archpriest Victor Potapov. Present at the memorial service was the Moscow Representative of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Grace, Bishop ANTONY of Moravich. Thus, on the day that marks the tenth year since the blessed repose of Bishop Basil, a hierarch who devoted his life to preserving the Unity of the Church and who preached and served in America, Russia, and Serbia, Representatives of each of these nations celebrated his memory in unity and love.
Following the service, Archimandrite Zacchaeus thanked all for gathering together to honor the memory of Bishop Basil and asked both Archimandrite Tikhon and Archpriest Victor to share some words about their experiences with the ever-memorable hierarch of God’s Holy Church.
Afterwards, a memorial meal was offered in the parish dining hall for the guest hierarch and clergy as well as the relatives and spiritual children of Vladyka Basil. During this gathering, many fond memories and personal experiences with the bishop were recounted, offering inspiration and spiritual comfort to all.
May the Bishop Basil’s memory be eternal!
More about the life of this great hierarch can be found on a website devoted to his memory. Likewise, an interview with Archimandrite Zacchaeus about his experiences with Bishop Basil can be found at Pravoslavie.ru.
A photogallery from the day’s panikhida as well as another from the memorial service celebrated by His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH in Washington, DC. |
