On November 7, a solemn service took place at the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission’s (REM) metochion in Jaffa, dedicated to Saint Tabitha, led by Archbishop Isidor of Hierapolis under the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and All Palestine.

During the Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Isidor was joined by Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Bartholomew from the Jerusalem Patriarchate, Deputy Head of the Mission Igumen Nikon (Golovko), Archimandrite Iannuarius (Nedachin) from the Transfiguration Monastery on Solovki, Protopriest Nikolai Zhdanov from the Jaffa metochion, Priest Victor Klinshov from Gorny Convent, Hieromonk Philotheus (Artyushin) of the Mission, Patriarchal Deacon Archdeacon Mark (Henderson), Deacon Makary Petukhov, and other clerical pilgrims.

Present at the prayer gathering were A.D. Viktorov, the Russian Ambassador to Israel, Russian diplomats, Abbess Catherine (Chernysheva) from the Gorny Monastery in Ein Karem with her sisters, along with numerous parishioners and pilgrims.

Following the Liturgy, Archimandrite Vassian congratulated Archbishop Isidor and asked him to convey gratitude to Patriarch Theophilos for his care towards the metochion and its congregation. Archbishop Isidor extended his congratulations on behalf of Patriarch Theophilos.

The celebration concluded with a procession to the tomb of Saint Tabitha, where the festive Gospel passage was read, and the congregation was sprinkled with holy water.