Senior hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Jerusalem Patriarchate celebrated a joint Divine Liturgy in the Cypriot city of Limassol on Monday, marking a rare occasion of shared worship between representatives of the two churches.

The service took place at St. Nicholas Church during the feast of the Appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. It was led by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, together with Metropolitan Timothy of Vostra, Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre in Cyprus for the Jerusalem Patriarchate.

Following the liturgy, Metropolitan Anthony delivered a sermon to the congregation and presented Archpriest Pavel Povalyaev, rector of St. Nicholas Church, with the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov (Third Class). The decoration, awarded with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', recognized the priest's 50th birthday.

After the service, Metropolitan Anthony and Metropolitan Timothy held talks on current issues affecting inter-Orthodox relations. During the meeting, the Russian church representative also conveyed the greetings and best wishes of Patriarch Kirill to the hierarch of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church.

Metropolitan Anthony is visiting Cyprus as part of a working trip organized by the Moscow Patriarchate.