Русский | DECR Communication Service of the Russian Orthodox Church | August 12, 2008 | photos courtesy of Fr Dionisy Pozdnyaev
English translation by Igor Radev

For the First Time an Orthodox Liturgy was Celebrated at the Olympic Village in Beijing

On August 12th, Archpriest Nikolai Sokolov and Archpriest Dionisy Pozdnyaev for the first time celebrated an Orthodox Liturgy at the Religious Center of the Olympic Village. These are the clerics who are responsible for the spiritual wellbeing of the sportsmen belonging to the Russian selection at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

The Divine Service was attended by the leading members of the Russian team.

D. I. Petrovsky, a staff member of the Department of Foreign Church Communication of the Moscow Patriarchate, who was also present in Beijing, gave a statement to ITAR-TASS Agency saying that special prayers were said for the Russian athletes and the other members of the Russian selection.

Embassy Cross
Aug 10, 2008

He also added that Orthodox prayer services were held on daily basis at Olympic Village.