Russian Orthodox Easter Mass Held in Iceland First Time Ever

A Russian Orthodox Easter mass, the first ever in Iceland, was held in Reykjavik last week. With the blessing of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II, Deputy Chairman of the Patriarch's Foreign Department Vsevolod Chaplin visited St. Nicolas parish of the Russian Orthodox Church in Reykjavik, spiritual home to a handful of former Russian and CIS citizens. As a Rosbalt correspondent has learnt at the Foreign Department, the Reykjavнk parish does not have a priest of their own yet. A morning mass with the Saviour's symbolical burial was held at Fridrikscappella Luteran chapel on Easter Friday, May 3. On Saturday Vsevolod Chaplin baptised a number of parishioners' children. On Easter Sunday he said the morning mass and the Our Lord's Mass during which he delivered the Patriarch's greeting 'to his faithful flock in Iceland.' The message further read, 'the Holy Easter, so dear to every Christian heart, is all the more significant for you this year marked by the first ever Easter mass in your parish. In this holy and joyful day I send you, the Icelandic flock of the Russian Orthodoxy, a message of love. May your spirits soar! I promise you that I will incessantly father all those children of the Russian Church who live abroad but who have preserved their ancestors' faith.' Russian Ambassador to Iceland Alexander Rannikh and Bishop of the Icelandic Lutheran Church Sigurder Arnitordarsson attended the mass.