On August 20, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia arrived at the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Stavropegial Monastery.
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church is accompanied on his trip by the following persons: Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk, head of the Financial and Economic Department of the Moscow Patriarchate Metropolitan Nikandr of Naro-Fominsk, Personal Secretary of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill Bishop Alexis of Ramensk, Head of the Legal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate Higumen Xenia (Chernega), Deputy Head of the Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia N.I. Derzhavin.
At Solovki airport His Holiness was greeted by: the Governor of the Arkhangelsk region A.V. Tsybulsky, Vicar of the Solovetsky Monastery Bishop Porfiry of Ozersk, Chairman of the Council of the Foundation for the Preservation and Development of the Solovetsky Archipelago A.V. Guts, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation S.G. Obryvalin, the head of the municipal V.A. Rudkin of the Primorsky Municipal District.
From the airport His Holiness Patriarch Kirill went to the Solovetsky Monastery. At the holy gates of the monastery the Primate was met by the chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism Metropolitan Feognost of Kashir and the brethren of the monastery.
Holy Vladyka proceeded to the Holy Trinity Zosima-Savvatii Cathedral, where he worshipped the relics of St. Zosima, Savvatii and German of Solovetsky.
His Holiness proceeded to the Holy Trinity Zosima-Savvatii Cathedral, where he worshipped the relics of St. Zosima, Savvatii and German of Solovetsky.
Afterwards, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed the archpastors, monastery residents and pilgrims:
«Your Eminences and Eminences! Dear lords, fathers, brothers, sisters!"
«Your Eminence and Eminence!
It is always with a special feeling that I enter the vaults of this temple and the Solovetsky monastery in general. Many of you know that I am personally very connected with this place — through the stay here of my grandfather, a pious Russian man, who for his struggle against Renewalism was exiled here and miraculously survived after staying for long days on the Sekirnaya Mountain. I will not repeat myself, because I have already spoken of it many times, but it all comes back to my memory — both my grandfather the Passion-Bearer and all his stories of suffering, which our archpastors, pastors, and believing people endured here.
Solovki — is a Russian Golgotha, one of the Golgothas, but probably the highest. And the climate is difficult, and the living conditions were incredibly difficult, and the number of bishops, priests, deacons who suffered here cannot be compared with any other place. Because the persecutors specifically sent here, to the holy place, those from whom they wanted to be free forever, and for many they succeeded in achieving their goal. But there were also those who, having undergone all the sufferings, remained alive. And once again I want to say: with a special feeling I remember my grandfather, who, even after passing through the Sekirnaya Hill, remained alive.
With the prayers of all Solovetsky sufferers — both those who are numbered among the saints, and those who are not numbered — may the Lord protect the Russian land, especially in this very difficult time, when many people have turned against us. Indeed, they have turned against us — not because we are bad, but only because we are different. Remaining Europeans, we are different, we do not accept those diabolical false values, which are imposed on Western people today and which are assimilated by them as some new norm of human relations.
While the Russian land will stand, including in its loyalty To the Lord, as long as our Church-martyr stands firm, undivided and undefiled, there will be hope for our Fatherland to keep its vestments undefiled. Perhaps, in a sense, this is also a pledge of liberation from the sinful captivity of many others. At least, we should pray about all this, remembering that we live in a special time — a time that in many ways will predetermine the future. You and I have neither political nor economic power, but we have a power greater than both. It is the power of prayer, which comes from sincere hearts, and it is the ability to perform spiritual feats in order to bring God's grace and power closer to ourselves and to all those for whom we pray.
The power of prayer is the power to bring the grace of God and the power of God closer to us and to all those for whom we pray.
Through the prayers of the holy Solovetsky Passion-Bearers, martyrs, and monks, may the Lord protect our land, our Church, and this holy monastery. Amen»"
May the Lord protect our land, our Church and this holy monastery.
On August 20-21, the Primate of the Russian Church will preside at the Solovetsky Monastery on the occasion of the commemoration of the Monks Zosima, Savvatii and Herman of Solovetsky.
Press service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
