« On the 80th anniversary of the first Arctic convoy, memorial services and bell ringing were held in the churches of the Sourozh diocese and the Patriarchal parishes in the USA and Canada »

August 31, 2021 marks the 80th anniversary of the successful completion of the first ocean-going special Arctic convoy Dervish, sent to the USSR during World War II with strategic cargo from the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition.

In support of the initiative on holding international events of the St. Petersburg regional public organization "Polar Convoy", on this memorable day, with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, memorial services were held and bells were ringing in Orthodox churches of the Old and New World countries, which formed and carried out Arctic convoys during the war.

His Grace Vladyka Matthew served a panikhida for the sailors and participants in the Arctic convoys at the Dormition Cathedral of the Sourozh diocese in London, assisted by the church clergy - Archpriest Maxim Nikolsky, Secretary of the Sourozh diocese Priest Dimitry Nedostupenko and Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch.  In the parishes of the Sourozh diocese, panikhidas were also served and bells were ringing in the church of St.  Nicholas the Wonderworker in Oxford (Rector of the church Archpriest Stephen Platt), in the Intercession Church in Manchester (cleric of the church Priest Anatoly Vikhrov), in St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Dublin, Republic of Ireland (Rector of the church Archpriest Mikhail Nasonov).

Overseas, memorial services and bell ringing took place at St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York, USA, panikhida was headed by the Cathedral Dean Hegumen Nikodim (Balyasnikov), assisted by the church clerics, and at St. Barbara Cathedral in Edmonton, Canada, Albert province - the panikhida was  by the Rector of the Cathedral Archpriest Igor Kisil.

After the panikhida, His Grace Vladyka made a speech in which he noted that “today we remember the events of 80 years ago, and we pray for the sailors and participants in the Northern convoys.  We remember their heroism and their exceptional help, which was provided to the Soviet Union by the countries of anti-Hitler coalition diring the second World war. That assistance, which saved many people and cost many lives, is especially dear to us. Despite the past years, we cannot forget the feat of our peoples, we pray for all those who died and worked for our common Victory. Today we join to the prayer, which sounds under the arches of the Stavropegic St.Nicolas Naval Cathedral in Kronstadt and in many churches of various countries associated with the organization of Arctic convoys, so that the Lord will receive among the righteous all those who suffered in those terrible years and all Orthodox Christians, whom we have prayed for today, that He grant them rest with the saints, strengthen us all in our  ministry and send peace to our countries, our peoples and all who have joined our prayer today in memory of the sailors and participants in the Northern convoys".

The first allied convoy "Dervish" left the port of Liverpool (Great Britain) on August 12, 1941 and arrived in Arkhangelsk on August 31, 1941 without loss.  The convoy consisted of five British and one Dutch ship.  They were loaded with strategically important raw materials.  Ten thousand tons of rubber, 1.5 tons of uniform shoes, as well as tin, wool, inventory and equipment were delivered to Arkhangelsk.  3800 depth bombs and magnetic mines and 15 disassembled Hurricane fighters were delivered to the front.

In total, from 1941 to 1945, British warships conducted 78 convoys of ships through the Barents Sea.  They delivered 4 million tons of cargo under the Lend-Lease program, including over 5,000 tanks and 7,000 aircrafts.

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