Sts Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Institute
15 Dec 09: His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion visits Wellington, New Zealand
On Saturday the 12th of December 2009 His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, 1st Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia flew from Sydney, Australia to begin his archpastoral visit to the New Zealand Deanery of the ROCOR. The Metropolitan’s delegation was warmly greeted at Wellington International Airport by representatives of the Russian Orthodox Community with bread and salt.
Metropolitan Hilarion concelebrated the Great Vespers at the Christ the Saviour Church in Wellington with Priest Lubomir Kudrich of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Hieromonk Ambrose (Mooney) of the ROCOR. The following morning the Divine liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, also serving was Very Reverend Archpriest Vladimir Boikov, Dean of New Zealand, with Priest Lubomir Kudrich of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Deacon Daniel Millwood. The service was attended by a great multitude of faithful who had travelled from all parts of the North Island to receive their Hierarch’s archpastoral blessing and partake in Holy Communion.
In his sermon, Metropolitan Hilarion expressed his contentment with the large percentage of parishioners who partook in the Holy Mysteries. Pilgrims journeyed to the Wellington parish from as far away as Auckland, Palmerstone North, Napier, Hamilton and Gisbourne. A large delegation of Serbian Orthodox parishioners where also in attendance at the divine liturgy headed by with Priest Lubomir Kudrich of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Some people travelled as much as 17 hours to arrive in time for the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy.
Dean of New Zealand, Protopriest Vladimir Boikov stated that: “For the Russian Orthodox Christians of New Zealand this is a historic and rare event and wonderful opportunity for all Orthodox Christians of New Zealand to be honoured by a visit of the First Hierarch of the ROCOR.”
