On the feast day of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. This day marked the 48th anniversary of the death of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov; 1929-1978) of Leningrad and Novgorod. At the end of the service, a memorial service was held.

Addressing the faithful, Metropolitan Varsonofy recalled that Vladyka Nicodemus had been the head of the Leningrad Diocese for 15 years and had done a lot to preserve and develop church life. His memory is cherished by students, clergy and graduates of Leningrad theological schools.

"In the memory of those who knew him, for all the truly historical scale of his personality, he remained a dear and close person. He is loved and revered as a spiritual father and mentor, a man of remarkable personal qualities, a broad soul and a kind heart," said the archpastor.

Vladyka Varsonofy named his disciple, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, as the main successor to the work of Metropolitan Nicodemus. According to the bishop, many areas of modern church life are connected with the legacy of the ever-memorable Metropolitan, passed on to the next generation of pastors.

Metropolitan Varsonofy paid special attention to the efforts of Bishop Nicodemus to save Leningrad theological schools from closure. Under atheistic pressure, he defended the clergy and students, and defended spiritual education. His contribution to external church relations was also significant: he strove to make the voice of the Russian Orthodox Church heard in the international arena.

The archpastor stressed that the example of Metropolitan Nicodemus remains important for the current generation of clergy. Ardent faith, boldness in preaching, and complete dedication in serving the Church and people are necessary for a pastor in any era. Today, when wide opportunities for the church mission are open, it is especially important to preserve and multiply the legacy of our predecessors.

"The main driving force of his life was his love for God and the Church. He lived by it, aspired to it," said Metropolitan Varsonofy, urging the faithful to pray for the deceased and imitate his example.

On the same day, Bishop Veniamin celebrated a requiem mass at the grave of Metropolitan Nicodemus at the Nikolsky Lavra Cemetery. Flowers were laid. Bishop Mstislav celebrated the liturgy at the grave of Metropolitan Vladimir (Kotlyarov; 1929-2022).