Patriarch Kirill comes to Moldova accompanied by 60 persons

The delegation that will accompany the Russian Patriarch Kirill to Chisinau consists of 60 persons. His Holiness will fly by a rented plane and will be accommodated at the State Residence situated on Nicolae Iorga St in Chisinau. The Patriarch comes with his own cook, waiter and doctor, Vladimir Vighileanskii, spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchate, told a news conference in Chisinau on Friday, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The official will be accompanied by two metropolitan bishops from Russia and two metropolitan bishops from Ukraine, one of whom is from Cernauti. Vladimir Vighileanskii said that the Te Deum ceremony that will be held at the Metropolitan Cathedral is the most important event of the visit. The Patriarch will be guarded by representatives of the Federal Guard Service who are already in Chisinau. They will work in concert with the State Guard Service of Moldova. At all the events, the Patriarch will be accompanied by Acting President Marian Lupu, while at some of them by Prime Minister Vlad Filat as well. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will arrive in Chisinau in the evening of October 8. At 19.30, he will deliver a blessing message for the faithful of the Moldovan Metropolitan Church. One hour later, he will officiate at a Te Deum service at the Metropolitan Cathedral. The program of the visit includes holding a liturgical service at the Metropolitan Cathedral on Sunday, between 09.00 and 12.00 and giving a sermon and laying flowers at the monument to Stephan the Great. Patriarch Kirill will bless the pairs that will be marrying that day.