Assyrian Church of the East Patriarch Mar Awa III Royel Ordains Two Deacons in Moscow, Russia

Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East Mar Awa III Royel presided over the ordination of two deacons at St. Mary the Virgin Church in Moscow on June 3, 2025, during his pastoral visit to the city. The newly ordained are Yousif, assigned to serve the parish of St. John the Baptist Church in Rostov, and Archdeacon Alexander, assigned to serve the parish of St. Mary the Virgin Church.

Metropolitan of Syria Mar Afram Athneil and Bishop of Iran, Armenia, and Georgia Mar Narsai Benyamin assisted the Patriarch in the ordination rite. Archpriest Saman Odesho, Father Petros Petros, and Father Ephrem al-Khas also took part in the celebration.

Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church attended the event. They included Bishop Kliment of Krasnoslobodsk and Temnikov, who is also Co-Chair of the Joint Dialogue Commission between the Assyrian Church of the East and the Russian Orthodox Church. Also present were Hieromonk Stefan Igumnov, Secretary for Inter-Christian Relations in the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and Secretary of the Joint Dialogue Commission, and Sergey Alferov, a member of the same department.

The presence of the Joint Dialogue Commission’s leaders at the service reflects the continuing relationship between the two churches, a shared witness to unity across the church (Psalm 133:1).

After the service, Patriarch Royel blessed the new church bell of St. Mary the Virgin Church.

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