With the blessing of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and at the invitation of Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne, a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church headed by Metropolitan Alexy of Chelyabinsk and Miass arrived in Lebanon on September 25, 2026.
The delegation includes clerics of the Chelyabinsk Archdiocese and the Axios episcopal choir.
On the day of arrival, the guests, accompanied by Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis and Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Patriarchal See of Antioch, paid a visit to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Lebanon and had a lengthy conversation with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Alexander Rudakov.
The next day, the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church was received by Metropolitan Elijah of Beirut at his residence in Ashrafieh, the Orthodox district of Beirut. Vladyka Elijah told the visitors about his years of study at St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York and shared his own vision of the current situation in the country. A.N. Rudakov took part in the meeting.
On September 27, the day of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, Matins and Divine Liturgy were celebrated in the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy" in Zahle. The Liturgy was led by Metropolitan Anthony of Zahleia-Baalbek, Metropolitan Alexy of Chelyabinsk and Miass, Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, co-served by Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), clergy of the Zahleia-Baalbek Metropolia of the Antiochian Orthodox Church and the Archdiocese of Chelyabinsk.
The service was conducted in Arabic and Church Slavonic, according to the website of the Representative Office of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Great Antioch and All the East.
Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Minassa, Lebanese MP from Zahle Ilias Stefan, former Lebanese Ambassador to Russia Shawki Bou Nassar, former Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Wael Hashim, former Deputy Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Ilias Ferzli, former anti-corruption Minister of the Lebanese Government Nicolas Twain attended the temple.
After the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Anthony of Zahlea-Baalbek cordially greeted Bishop Alexy, the clergy of the Archdiocese of Chelyabinsk and the guests of the feast. His Eminence emphasized that the perfect divine service had become a visible symbol of the unity of the Orthodox Church.
On the same day, a concert of the Metropolitan choir of the Chelyabinsk Archdiocese "Axios" took place in the municipal palace of the city of Zahle, during which church hymns and secular musical compositions were performed.
The event was attended by Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, Metropolitan Anthony of Zahle and Baalbek, Metropolitan Silouan of the Mountains of Lebanon, Metropolitan Alexy of Chelyabinsk and Miass, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Lebanon A.N. Rudakov, Mayor of Zahle Salim Ghazali, and members of the community of the Russian Orthodox Church in Lebanon.