His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia blessed at the Sunday Divine Liturgy on March 24, 2024 to offer special prayer petitions for the health of those who suffered on March 22 in the building of the Crocus City Hall, as well as for the repose of the "innocently killed in the terrorist attack in Krasnogorsk".
Circular letters informing about this were sent on March 23 by Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk, manager of the Moscow Patriarchate, to the bishops in charge of the Moscow vicariates and to the chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism, as well as to all diocesan bishops in Russia.
"In these tragic days for our Mother See, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia offers his inmost prayers for the repose of the souls of the murdered and for the injured people in the building of Crocus City Hall on March 22, 2024," the documents say.
"His Holiness blessed in all churches and monasteries of Moscow to offer at the Divine Liturgy on March 24 this year at the Litany of Supplication special petitions for the health of "all those who suffered in the terrorist attack in Krasnogorsk", as well as to offer the Litany of Requiem with petitions "for the servants of God innocently killed in the terrorist attack in Krasnogorsk".With the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, I ask you, masters, to give instructions about the such commemoration in the churches and monasteries of the dioceses entrusted to you," reads the circular letter sent to all diocesan bishops.
The letter to the bishops in charge of the capital's vicariates and to the chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism additionally states: "The clergy of the Moscow diocese are urged to give special pastoral attention to the victims and relatives of those killed in the terrorist attack. When requesting churches and monasteries to perform funeral services for those killed in the terrorist attack, such services should be performed without charge".
The document notes: "In connection with the introduction of a level of increased anti-terrorist security in the city of Moscow, you should promptly instruct the leadership of parishes, Patriarchal suburbs and monasteries of the Moscow diocese on the need to ensure an increased level of security of churches and parish buildings, especially in the days of festive services with the participation of a large number of believers."
The circular letter to the bishops in charge of the Moscow vicariates also emphasizes that "operational interaction with law enforcement agencies should be maintained, and in case of emergencies, all necessary assistance should be provided to the emergency services and law enforcement agencies.
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