Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Traditional Altar Consecrated in Moscow


From Sergei a former parishioner who is now living in Moscow, I think I can hear one of his boys in the background. Interesting how young the congregation is.

On Sunday 20 June, Archbishop Paul Pezzi, the Ordinary of Archdiocese of the Mother Of God in Moscow, Russia, consecrated a refurbished wooden altar for the Extraordinary form of the Roman Rite. This altar is situated in the Big Chapel of the Moscow Cathedral of Immaculate Conception of The Blessed Virgin Mary. The consecration ceremony followed the 'usus antiquor.' After consecration of the altar, Fr. Augustine Dzenzel celebrated Mass in the Extraordinary Form. This is the first time since 1936, when the ruling Ordinary of this Archdiocese participated in the traditional Latin liturgy.

4 comments:

Leo Darroch said...

Also in the congregation is Oleg-Michael Martynov, a committee member of Una Voce Russia and a Councillor of the International Federation Una Voce, who lives in Moscow.

The members in Moscow have worked hard for some time and were helped with the altar restoration project by a considerable donation from Luci sull'Est.

There are very encouraging signs coming from eastern Europe. Una Voce Russia has members in a number of cities, including Moscow and St Petersburg. Oleg-Michael, in his capacity as a Councillor of the International Federation Una Voce, is helping arrange a traditional Latin Mass training workshop from 13 - 17 July in the town of Vitebsk, Belarus for Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian priests . The Dominican House is providing free accommodation and cheap meals for the participants. The locals, UV Albaruthenia, are helping greatly, but they are by far more enthusiastic than rich which is why the Una Voce Federation is helping to support this initiative. If anyone is interested, details can be found on the Una Voce Federation website www.fiuv.org/news.html.

The group in Vitebsk is led by a young man of about 30 years who teaches history at the local universtity. Most of the group are rather young, too. They have very limited internet access and skills because the Internet is quite underdeveloped in Belarus, at least outside of the capital. Happily, none of these difficulties deter these young people from the cause they espouse.

PCJ said...

Since when have wooden altars been consecrated?

Fr Ray Blake said...

PCJ,
Ever since they contain an altar stone!

MC Man said...

Surely young men in these countrys should be encouraged to join the Byzantine Rite rather than study the EF latin rite or at least be bi ritual.

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