On Friday the 20th of March, his Excellency Mikhail Ivanovich Petrakov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Australia, arrived in Hobart. He was met at the airport by Fr George Morozoff, the rector of the Holy Trinity Parish, after which his Excellency visited the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church, where he paid his respects and placed flowers at the tombstone of Gregory Belavin, assistant paymaster of the Russian Imperial Corvette ‘Boyarin’. Gregory Belavin passed away in 1860 and his remains are still located in an unmarked grave at St David’s Park, formerly a cemetery in the centre of Hobart. His Excellency visited the park (cemetery) and the Cornelion Bay Cemetery where many of the Russian Orthodox have been laid to rest, including the first priest appointed to Tasmania, Mitred Archpriest Theodore Borishkevich.
Early on the following day, Fr George welcomed members of the Russian Orthodox Male Choir of Australia, who came to Hobart to perform at St David’s Anglican Cathedral as part of a fundraising tour to cover costs of a planned tour of Russia. The Cathedral was filled with not only Russians and Greeks but also a multitude of non-Orthodox Australians. Present also was His Excellency the Ambassador. The Choir, under the conductorship of Nectary Kotlaroff, sang a collection of Orthodox hymns in Church Slavonic, Greek and Serbian. Those present where treated to an insight into Orthodox spiritual singing. At the conclusion of the concert, Fr George extended an invitation to all to attend the Divine Liturgy on the following day at the Holy Trinity Parish, the southernmost parish of Australia. The Church was filled to capacity including many non-Orthodox who took up Fr George’s invitation. His Excellency was also amongst the congregation. The Male choir with their outstanding singing lifted the prayerful atmosphere.
Following the Divine Liturgy, the congregation was invited to share a Lenten meal, consisting mainly of produce from Fr George’s extensive vegetable garden, prepared by the Parish sisterhood. During the lunch, His Excellency Mikhail Ivanovich addressed those present and thanked Fr George and the Parish for their hospitality commenting that he felt as if he had come to a corner of Russia, vowing to return in the near future to see more of Tasmania. During the Lunch, the Male Choir treated those in attendance to a rendition of several Russian folk songs. All were awestruck by the amazing singing. At the conclusion of the Trapeza, Fr George conducted a tour of the property, catching and releasing trout and salmon, which he breeds and keeps in the ponds adjoining the river.
Later that day, the Choristers were farewelled at the airport and on the following morning His Excellency, the Ambassador was also farewelled.
Glory be to God for everything.
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