Episcopal Press and News

Russian Churchmen at Washington Cathedral

Diocesan Press Service. March 7, 1975 [75097]

Ann Hume

WASHINGTON, D. C. -- Led by Metropolitan Filaret of Kiev and Galich, twenty Russian churchmen conducted a service of Orthodox vespers at Washington Cathedral on the evening of February 25. The churchmen, representing Russian Orthodox, Georgian Orthodox, Lutheran, Baptist and Roman Catholic churches, were in Washington as part of a three-week tour of the United States arranged by the National Council of Churches.

Heavy gold brocade vestments from the Cathedral Museum and burning incense lent atmosphere to the evening service. Icons from the Joseph Davies collection stood in the crossing. A small choir, selected from the choirs of local Orthodox churches, sang the beautiful, intricate vesper music without accompaniment, under the direction of Dr. Dimitri Conomos, a Fellow at Dumbarton Oaks.

At the conclusion of the service, Dean Francis B. Sayre Jr. addressed the congregation, welcoming them to "this service so full of peace and the promise of heaven. "

The dean then introduced Bishop James Matthews of the United Methodist Church, who said that this visit (the first of its kind at the cathedral), was the third exchange tour between the United States and the Soviet Union since World War II. Bishop Matthews also spoke of the repression of church activity and art that exists in Russia today.

His remarks were echoed by the principal speaker of the evening, the Right Reverend Vitaly Borovoy, rector of the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Epiphany, Moscow, who expressed a desire that "our church be penetrated by Christian spirit into the full conscience of our country." Bishop Borovoy recalled the parable of the Pharisee and the publican, likening the church of pre-Communist Russia to the proud pharisee and the Russian church of today to the humble publican.

Mayor Walter Washington of Washington greeted the visitors at a reception held at the College of Preachers following the service. The Soviet churchmen responded by singing a famous Russian folksong wishing "many years " to all and Metropolitan Filaret thanked Mayor Washington for the hospitality shown the group.