In Koroche we celebrated the Patronal Feast and City Daytranslated

With the blessing of Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Stary Oskol, on September 21, the day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as the birthday of St. Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod, miracle worker, the Head of the Belgorod Metropolis, according to tradition, visited the city of Korocha, where he celebrated the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the patronal feast of the Korocha church. Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Archpriest Mikhail Usatii, dean of the Korochansky district; rector of the Holy Trinity Church in the village of Novotroevka, Korochansky district, abbot Agafangel (Belykh); clergy of the Korochansky deanery. After reading the Holy Gospel, Metropolitan John addressed the worshipers with an archpastoral word, in which he revealed the deep meaning of the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the beginning of the salvation of mankind. “If the Blessed Virgin Mary had not been born, then our Lord Jesus Christ would not have been incarnate. The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the beginning of a new humanity. It was from Her that our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit were born.

From the Virgin Mary, who became the mother of all living and still protects us, comes protection, blessing, and joy,” the bishop said. The Metropolitan particularly focused on the story of the righteous Joachim and Anna,...