NEW YORK: May 23, 2017
The Russian Mt Athos Institute’s Archeographical Group Visits the USA

On May 15, 2017, the Russian Mt Athos Institute’s archeographical group headed by its director, VI Pirogov, and Academic Director DV Zubov visited arrived in the USA. Deacon Andrei Psarev, professor at Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY, is accompanying the delegation.

The next day, the delegation visited St Vladimir Memorial Church in Jackson, NJ. They discussed prospects for publishing materials relating to the Russian part of Holy Mt Athos in Greece and the Russian diaspora. Protopriest Sergei Lukianov, Secretary of the Eastern American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, warmly greeted the group at St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, NJ. That evening, the directors of the RMAI met with a youth group at St Nicholas Patriarchal Church in New York City, organized by Hegumen Nikodim (Balyasnikov), where they talked about Russian monasticism on Mt Athos to a large audience.

On May 17, the delegation prayed at St Seraphim of Sarov Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY, which was dedicated to the reestablishment of unity within the Russian Orthodox Church. Protopriest Serafim Gan, rector of the church, then met with the delegation along with his clergymen and parishioners. Divine Liturgy that day was celebrated to mark the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion between the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, which was the topic of their discussion. Archival materials from the Russian emigration in Istanbul were also shared.

The key element of the delegation’s trip was a lengthy discussion with His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of ROCOR. Metropolitan Hilarion approved of the delegations work and emphasized the importance of examining the role of the Russian Church Abroad in the history of the Russian presence on Mt Athos.

On May 18, Michael Perekrestov, Curator of the Holy Trinity Monastery Museum and AA Lyubimov, Director of Holy Trinity Seminary Library in Jordanville, NY, met with the delegates. They reviewed pertinent materials in these collections which fills gaps in the study of Russian Mt Athos.

Archbishop Luke (Murianka), Prior of Holy Trinity Monastery and Rector of HTS, welcomed the scholars, and gave his blessing for continued joint work. The directors of the RMAI then delivered a talk on the status of Mt Athos today to an audience of HTM, which was followed by a question-and-answer session, at which Pirogov and Zubov shared their impressions of visits to the pillar of world Orthodoxy that is Mt Athos.

On Sunday, May 21, the scholars prayed during Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia in Brooklyn, NY. Protopriest Peter Kunitsky and his parishioners warmly welcomed the delegation, and discussed the work of the RMAI, the representatives of which gave the parish a gift of published materials for the parish library.

The directors of the RMAI were moved by the attention paid to their work and expressed the hope that this trip will enhance the tenth-anniversary celebrations of the church unity reestablished within the much-suffering Russian Church.