On Thursday, 28 August 2025, the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God and Virgin Mary, His Eminence Metropolitan John of Dubna made a pastoral visit to the Church of the Dormition near the Orthodox cemetery in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, whose feast it was.
Many faithful attended the pontifical Divine Liturgy presided over by Metropolitan John. Concelebrating with our Archbishop were the rector of the parish, Archpriest Anatole Negruta, Archpriest Basile Sevciuc, Priest André Trofimoff and Deacon Viacheslav Li, accompanied by the parish choir under the direction of Reader Nicolas Lopoukhine.
During the Divine Liturgy, a litany for the departed was said for all those who rest in the cemetery and in the crypt of the church.
At the end of the liturgy, after a procession around the church, “Memory Eternal” was sung for all those who rest in the crypt. Then “Many Years” was sung for His Eminence Metropolitan John, for the rector of the church, Father Anatole, for the churchwarden of the parish, Reader Nicolas Lopoukhine, and for all the clergy and the many faithful present. Then Father Anatole warmly thanked the Archbishop for his visit.
After the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan John went down into the crypt of the church, which he had not yet visited since its recent restoration, to pray at the tombs of his predecessors, Metropolitans Eulogius and Vladimir, and Archbishops George I, George II, Sergius and Gabriel, of blessed memory.
Then a magnificent meal was offered by the parishioners to all the guests, and in particular to Metropolitan John, as a sign of the affection they all have for him, followed by a short show of folk dances presented by a group of young dancers.
