WESTERN EUROPEAN DIOCESE: 5 December 2025
A cleric of the Western European Diocese is granted a lofty award

On 30 November, 2025, the 25th Sunday after Pentecost, Divine Liturgy was headed in the Florentine Church of the Nativity of Christ and St Nicholas by the Primate of the ROCOR, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, together with the Ruling Bishop, His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe. Co-serving were the clergy of Florence: Archpriest Georgy Blatynski, Priest Oleg Turcan and Deacon Rustik Prisacaru, together with Deacon Oleg Petrov from the Menton Parish in France, who was ordained in the Florentine church.

At the minor entrance of the Liturgy, a special moment of recognition befell the Parish Rector, Father Georgy, on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Bishop Irenei having requested of the Holy Synod that the right to wear the mitre be bestowed upon Fr Georgy in honor of his long years of service as well as life, Vladyka conveyed a beautiful mitre — a gift from the parishioners — to the First Hierarch, who laid it upon the head of Fr Georgy with the traditional blessing. With real joy the clergy and faithful cried out "Axios!," warmly celebrating the dignity bestowed upon Fr George who has done so much for the life of the Florentine parish as well as the broader cause of Orthodoxy in Italy.

Liturgy preceded in solemnity, beautifully sung by the parish choir under the direction of Ksenia Astapenko. At its conclusion Metropolitan Nicholas addressed the faithful with a homily, and expressed his pastoral love for the city and its pious people. The special prayer for the start of the Nativity fast was lifted up by the First Hierarch, and relics of St John the Wonderworker were enshrined in the church.

A banquet followed the Divine Services, at which hierarchs, clergy and faithful continued their spiritual communion and many warm words were exchanged in honor of Fr Georgy’s clerical award and personal anniversary.

orthodox-europe.org