Patr. Kirill Celebrates Theophany at Moscow’s Epiphany Cathedral
At Moscow’s Epiphany Cathedral, Patr. Kirill marked Theophany by affirming God’s nearness and the Church’s endurance through persecution.
MOSCOW — Patr. Kirill of Moscow celebrated the Divine Liturgy and the Rite of the Great Blessing of Waters on January 19 at the Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhovo, marking the Feast of Theophany. At the conclusion of the service, the Patriarch delivered a Primatial homily reflecting on God’s presence in history and the endurance of faith amid persecution.
Emphasizing the central message of the feast, Patr. Kirill told the faithful that God “is not distant from the world” but remains close to humanity. Recalling decades of hardship endured by the Church, he noted that believers who once prayed in the same cathedral trusted that persecution would pass because “God is with us.”
The Patriarch contrasted the survival of the Church with the fleeting power of those who sought to eradicate faith, recalling predictions that Orthodoxy would disappear. Expressing gratitude for today’s freedom to worship openly, he urged believers to remain thankful, faithful, and prayerful for the future of the Church and society.
Previously, the UOJ reported that the relics of St. Tikhon were venerated by 620,000 pilgrims.
