On January 19, 2026, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow celebrated the Divine Liturgy and the Rite of the Great Blessing of Waters at the Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhovo.
At the conclusion of the service, the Patriarch addressed the faithful with a Primatial homily, reflecting on the spiritual meaning of Theophany, the presence of God in history, and the endurance of faith through persecution.
Opening his address, Patriarch Kirill greeted the gathered clergy and faithful and emphasized the central message of the feast: “We glorify the Lord who has appeared to the world—God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity. The very fact that God has revealed Himself to the world testifies that God is not distant from the world. He is not somewhere ‘out there’—He is close to us. God is with us.”
Quoting Scripture, he underlined the foundation of Christian hope: “God is not somewhere far away—He is with us; and if He is with us, then who can be against us?”
Recalling the years of persecution endured by the Church, Patriarch Kirill noted that generations of believers held firmly to this conviction even in the darkest times: “In the most terrible periods of persecution that visited our land, believers who gathered in this very cathedral believed and hoped that the time of suffering would pass, because God is with us.”
He contrasted the endurance of the Church with the fleeting power of those who sought to eradicate faith: “Where are those rulers who set limits beyond which there would be no Church and no faith? Their memory has perished with noise. And yet we, as did our fathers and grandfathers, continue to pray in Orthodox churches.”
Sharing a deeply personal memory, the Patriarch recalled his first visit to the Epiphany Cathedral as a child: “I will never forget the special feeling when I realized that the Patriarch serves in this church, that the most important liturgical events take place here. I still carry in my memory the spiritual experience I received upon visiting this cathedral.”
Reflecting on the trials of the 20th century, he spoke of the restrictions once imposed on Church life: “Not only preaching outside the church walls was forbidden, not only work with children and youth, but even the public expression of one’s faith.”
He recalled the false predictions of those who believed Orthodoxy would disappear: “Some believed that by 1980 there would be no more faith, no more clergy. That ruler remained only in anecdotes. But we remain—heirs of those who endured the harshest trials of godless times.”
Expressing gratitude for the present era, Patriarch Kirill highlighted the freedom now enjoyed by believers: “We live in a time when we can confess our faith freely, in church, publicly, and everywhere. This is a miracle of God.”
He emphasized that today’s faith is not based on convenience or tradition, but on conviction: “We are in the Church not because it is useful for our career or social standing, but because we are sincerely believing people. Orthodox faith is our conviction, according to which we strive to build our lives.”
Concluding his address, the Patriarch called the faithful to gratitude and prayer for the future: “Remembering the past, we thank the Lord for the present and ask Him to extend His mercy into the years to come—for our Church, our country, our authorities, our armed forces, and for everyone who turns to Him with faith and love.”
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
