On June 2, 2024, at the conclusion of his visit to the Ryazan Metropolitanate, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia visited the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God «Joy of All Who Sorrow» at the Skorbyashchensky cemetery in Ryazan.
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was accompanied by the Governor of the Ryazan region P.V. Malkov, the Moscow Patriarchate's Administrator of Affairs Metropolitan Grigory of Voskresensk, Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky, His Holiness' personal secretary Bishop Alexis of Ramensk.
His Holiness' personal secretary Bishop Alexis of Ramensk.
Holy Vladyka was welcomed in the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God «Joy of All Who Sorrow» by the rector of the church Archpriest George Bulekov. On behalf of the parishioners, Father George presented His Holiness with an icon of Blessed Lyubov Ryazan.
Holy Patriarch Kirill addressed the clergy and parishioners with the High Patriarchal Word:
«Your Eminences and Eminences! Honorable Father George! Dear brothers and sisters!
It is difficult to convey the feeling I have every time I visit this place, connected with the My teacher, my spiritual father, who played a decisive role in my life.
I rarely talk about it, but there was an episode that changed my life trajectory dramatically. In general, from my earliest childhood, as long as I can remember, I wanted to become a priest. But I was a good student, and I had the idea to get some education first, and then go to seminary. I came to see Metropolitan Nicodemus, and he asked me about my plans. I said, "I would like to go to university. Because I did very well in physics and math, so I thought I would work in this area for a little while, get a qualification, and then enter the seminary." The words that Vladyka Nicodemus spoke at that time have always stuck in my soul. He said: "You know, if you take physicists and mathematicians in the Soviet Union, you can rank them from Leningrad to Moscow, but there are not enough priests now. So let's get you into a theological seminary without any physics and math!" That's how I entered the seminary right after school, and then the academy.
Lord drew me to work as his personal secretary. When the question of taking monasticism arose, he promoted it in every possible way. At his hands I received tonsure and all the chiarotonies — deacon, priest, and bishop. To My whole life is connected with this man, and if he had not met me on my life path, then probably you and I would not have met at this place today. That is why I remember Vladyka Nikodim with great love, with gratitude, I always pray for him and I am happy that the memory of him is preserved in the Church, especially in places that are connected with Vladyka's childhood, his youth and his entire subsequent life.
Let the memory of this greatest hierarch of the Russian Church be preserved — I will not be afraid to say so, — who in incredibly difficult circumstances created a whole generation of new episcopate, ensuring apostolic succession in our Church. Because he labored during the most difficult time of the Khrushchev persecutions, and what he did, few others could have done. That is why I always ask you to remember in your prayers Vladyka Nikodim — once again I want to tell you, an outstanding hierarch.
Doubtless, he was to become Patriarch, because practically the entire episcopate was in favor of him. His authority was enormous. The Church was in favor of him, but the authorities were against him, because they were afraid of a strong Patriarch. Then the Council on Religious Affairs invited Vladyka Nikodim, and the chairman, there was such a comrade Kuroedov, said: "Yes, you are outstanding, you are the most outstanding, but you cannot be Patriarch. Such a strong a hierarch should not lead the Church now, and you should not only refuse to do so, but you should do everything possible to make another Patriarch". I remember the state of mind of Vladyka — he was not a careerist, but he realized that no one could compare with him in ability, in the possibility to influence the church-political situation. But he had to refuse and do everything so that the Patriarch became another. Of course, this could not pass by his health: after some time he had a heart attack, then heart attacks began to occur almost every year, and in the prime of his life Vladyka died.
There is such an outstanding hierarch associated with this land, with this temple. I think he can be compared to Patriarch Sergius, who in the most difficult years of the XX century managed to save our Church. In the same way Vladyka Nikodim, not being Patriarch, really helped to save our Church from almost defeat during the terrible period of the so-called Khrushchev persecutions.
It is with a special feeling that I utter these words here, in this temple, with which the childhood and youth of Vladyka Nikodim are connected. May the prayerful memory of him be preserved in our hearts. Amen».
The Primate of the Russian Church presented the temple with a painted Easter egg.
Afterwards, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrated a liturgy at the cemetery where the graves of the parents of Metropolitan Nicodemus (Rotov) — George Ivanovich (28.04.1903 — 4.05.1987) and Elizaveta Mikhailovna (19.02.1902 — 31.12.1969) are located. Prayers were offered for the repose of the souls of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicodemus and the servants of God George and Elizabeth.
After visiting the church and the cemetery, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia left Ryazan for Moscow.
Holy Patriarch Kirill left Ryazan for Moscow.
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The wooden cemetery church was built soon after the land for the next city cemetery was allocated in 1784 in Ryazan. The church was built according to the exemplary project attached to the first general plan of Ryazan in 1780.
In 1807 at Archbishop A new stone church was built in place of the wooden one, with three altars: the main one — in honor of the icon of the Mother of God «Joy of All Who Sorrow» the right one — in honor of the Righteous Alexis, a man of God, and the left one — in honor of the Monk Onufriy the Great.
The church has a venerable list of the miracle-working icon of the Most Holy Mother of God «Joy of All Who Sorrow» the right one — in honor of the Righteous Alexis, a man of God, and the left one — in honor of the Monk Onufriy the Great.In the temple there is a venerable list of the miracle-working icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary «Joy of All Who Sorrow». This holy icon was first glorified in 1688 in Moscow, in the Church of the Transfiguration on Ordynka, where it had been kept for a long time, by the healing of Euphemia, the sister of Patriarch Joachim.
The Tikhvin icon of the Mother of God is also of great interest, the frame of which is skillfully embroidered with beads by unknown craftsmen. Among the shrines of the temple is the icon of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon with a part of the relics of the saint.
Bishop Boris (Skvortsov), who headed the Ryazan diocese from 1965 to 1972, is buried near the church. On the territory of the Skorbyashchensky cemetery is a chapel in honor of Blessed Lubov of Ryazan, over the place where she was buried. During the Great Patriotic War in the Skorbyashchensky cemetery buried the wounded who died in hospitals in Ryazan. Later a memorial was built at the cemetery, dedicated to the heroic soldiers of the Great Patriotic War.
The temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God «Joy of All Who Sorrow» during the period of atheistic persecution for some time was the only functioning church in the territory of Ryazan. To this day, its bell tower still has bells cast in the early 1800s, and the exterior and interior decoration has not changed since then.
In 1942-1944 schoolboy Boris Rotov, the future Metropolitan Nicodemus, served as a novice in the church, and Archbishop Alexis (Sergeyev) of Ryazan and Kasimov, fearing the displeasure of the authorities, regularly removed him from the altar.
In 1969, Metropolitan Nicodemus's mother Elizaveta Mikhailovna Rotova (née Sionskaya) was buried near the altar of the church.
Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
