« Archibishop Elisey's visit to Penza »
08-07-2015 Оn the 2nd of July 2015, at the invitation of Metropolitan Seraphim of Penza and Nizhnylomovskogo, Archbishop of Sourozh Elisey went to Penza to participate in the events dedicated to the memory day of Archbishop Seraphim of Penza and Kuznetsk (Tikhonov).
Vladyka Elisey spent his childhood and youth years in Penza, where he was a subdeacon of Archbishop Seraphim and received his blessing to study in the Seminary.
Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh visited the Diocesan administration, Spassky Cathedral Church in honour of St. Mitrophan, Bishop of Voronezh, the diocesan telestudio, Tugusheva’s printing-house, social-educational center "Kvartal Louie", Penza’s theological Seminary and Trinity Women’s Monastery.
During the visit, Archbishop Elisey venerated the miracle Kazan-Penza image of the Mother of God honoured the memory of the deceased bishops of Penza, and Archpriest Nikolay Tarasov and his wife. Vladyka was acquainted with social programs in education and employment of people with disabilities.
On the second day of his visit, Archbishop of Sourozh Elisey took part in the funeral Liturgy in the Assumption Cathedral and the funeral service at the place of burial for the ever-memorable Archbishop Seraphim. After the service the memorial service at the tomb of Metropolitan Penza and Nizhny Lomov Seraphim. He blessed the cornerstone of the temple-tomb in honour of the great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica.
Vladyka Elisey also gave an interview for the TV program "Questions of Faith" on TV channel “Souz”, where he shared his memories of childhood years spent in Penza, about the administrator of the diocese – Bishop Melchizedek (Lebedev) and the ever-memorable Archbishop Seraphim (Tihonova). Part of the conversation was devoted to the present obedience of Archbishop Elisey as the Head of the Sourozh diocese.
Official website of Penza Diocese/Sourozh Diocese