Bishop's service on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of Godtranslated

On the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, July 21, 2026, Metropolitan Maximilian of Irkutsk and Angarsk celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Church in the village of Listvyanka, co-served by the clergy of the diocese. On this day, the consecration of the new Throne and the church by the bishop's rite was supposed to take place, but due to the tragic death of Archpriest Vyacheslav Pushkarev on the way to Listvyanka on the evening of July 20, the festive consecration event was postponed. In his speech before Communion, Archpriest Mark Kosolapov, rector of the Alexander Nevsky Church in Irkutsk, reminded the worshipers of the many deeds that Archpriest Vyacheslav accomplished in his life, and called on everyone to heartfelt prayer for the repose of the priest, since his soul is now passing the main path before determining its eternal fate. And although the fruits of Father Vyacheslav’s life give us hope that the Lord will accept him into the joy of eternal life, prayer is very important now for his soul. Metropolitan Maximilian congratulated everyone present on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, emphasizing that “The Most Holy Theotokos is the Mother for each of us, and we are Her children, and this is the most important thing that we must learn, even if we do not know theology.” Also the lord with...