Bishop Alexy congratulated the believers of Kyshtym on the feast of St. Nicholastranslated

On the Feast of the Nativity of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Metropolitan Alexy of Chelyabinsk and Miass celebrated the Liturgy at St. Nicholas Church in Kyshtym. The ruling bishop was concelebrated by the dean of the Kyshtym district, Priest Mikhail Chirkov, the rector of the church, Priest Alexy Derisemlya, and other clergy. On August 11, the Church celebrates the Nativity of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia. This holiday has long been recognized only in Rus', where St. Nicholas is especially revered. Other Local Churches did not celebrate the coming of the saint of God into the world, therefore in Russia, by decree of Catherine II, the celebration was canceled. In 2004, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II gave his blessing to celebrate the Nativity of St. Nicholas at the request of the rectors of the churches. Many people had such a desire, and gradually another day of glorification of the beloved saint became established in the church tradition - his birthday. At the end of the Liturgy, the archpastor, clergy and parishioners walked around the church in a procession of the cross. In his sermon, Bishop Alexy congratulated everyone on the holiday.

“It’s wonderful that we have gathered in church today to celebrate the birthday of St. Nicholas. How good it is for the soul to remember once again the great saint of God, to whose prayerful help...