Bishop Maximos of Melitene presided over the Great Divine Liturgy at the Greek Orthodox Parish of Saints John of Kronstadt and Nektarios of Aegina in Rennes (in western France) under the former Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of the Russian Tradition in Western Europe.
The parish of Saints John of Kronstadt and Nektarios of Aegina is one of the dozens of parishes in the former Exarchate in France that joined the Holy Metropolis of France.
In his speech, Bishop Maximos emphasized, “In this beautiful parish we pray for unity and peace in the Church. All problems can be solved when we are benevolent and love the Church and not the people. The secularisation of the Church set new ideas and moral standards that are more likely to fit into secularist organisations. We have lost obedience and confidence in the Church and we hope in the forces of this world. We, as children of the Mother Church of Constantinople, pray earnestly for the solution of all problems, and we extend a helping hand and send a message of support to all the Orthodox brothers in France.”
Bishop Maximos conveyed to the congregation the greetings of Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, who welcomed them to the Holy Metropolis of France.
Afterwards, a parish general assembly was held. They voted with an overwhelming majority in favour of joining the Holy Metropolis of France.