On February 12, 2022, in conclusion of the events marking the sixth anniversary of the meeting of Pope Francis with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia in Havana, a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, visited the church of St. Germain l’Auxerrois and venerated the Crown of Thorns of the Saviour brought here for a special occasion.
This relic of the Christian world has been kept at the Louvre museum since the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral and is being brought to the neighboring St.Germain church for special purposes.
Attending the divine service was a delegation of the Roman Catholic Church led by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Before the prayer service, Mons. George Paul Pontier, Apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Paris, Cardinal Kurt Koch, and Metropolitan Hilarion addressed words of greeting to the worshippers.
“Orthodox services had been celebrated before this great relic of the Christian world during many years before the fire at Notre Dame de Paris. At his time, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia prayed before the Crown. Today, after a longtime interval, we will celebrate Orthodox prayer service before the Crown of Thorns,” said the DECR chairman.
He went on to point out: “A major relic of the Passions of Christ, the Crown of Thorns, directs our spiritual eyes to the Suffering of the Saviour of the world. As we recall the spatting, slapping in the face, clothing in a false scarlet robe and a crown of thorns He accepted for our salvation, we pray for the numerous members of the Body of Christ – the Church in different regions of the world. We offer up our special prayers for persecuted Christians of Africa, in various parts of which we see the real extermination of our brothers and sisters.”
After the prayer service, the Crown of Thorns was taken back to the place of its temporary storage.
DECR Communication Service/Patriarchia.ru