On August 14, Metropolitan Georgiy’s birthday, a new church was consecrated in Nizhny Novgorod. It was dedicated to Princess Olga Equal-to-the-Apostles. Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, the head of the Central Asian Metropolitan District, Metropolitan Georgiy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas, Metropolitan Zinoviy of Saransk and Mordovia, Archbishop Dimitry of Vitebsk and Orsha, Bishop Elijah of Balakhna and Bishop Filaret of Dalnekonstantinovsk, the vicars of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese, Bishop Varnava of Vyskun and Pavlovsk, and Bishop Silouan of Lyskov and Lukoyanov concelebrated at the service of great blessing of the church. 

Metropolitan Georgiy celebrated 55^th birthday anniversary today. His Eminence was congratulated by his fellow archpastors, local clergy, abbesses and laity. 

Hegumenia Sergiya, the abbess of the Seraphim-DIveyevo Monastery, took part at the church consecration and congratulated His Eminence on behalf of the Nizhny Novgorod’s monastics: 

“Your Eminence Metropolitan Georgiy! Dear in Christ Archpastor and father! On this remarkable day for the Church, the feast of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, and on behalf of our family of monastics, please accept our sincere congratulations with your 55^th birthday anniversary! 

We would like to wish Your Eminence joy and unceasing spiritual energy, good health, peace and wellbeing, ever-abundant help from God and blessed success in your archpastoral service to the benefit of the Holy Church! 

We prayerfully wish that your labors would add to the glory of the Lord, bring joy to your heart seeing the Nizhny Novgorod Metropolitanate prosper and multiply in virtue. 

Through the power of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross and protection of the Queen of Heaven, with the prayers of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov and all the saints of Diveyevo, may our Lord Who is abundant in His riches and Ineffable in His blessings give you strength in spirit and body and many blessed years of continued, dedicated, and abundant service in Nizhny Novgorod, our country and the Russian Church! Εἰς πολλὰ ἔτη, Δέσποτα!” 

We, the abbess of the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery with sisters, gratefully remain under your hierarchical omophorion and beseech your archpastoral blessing and prayers as Your Eminence’s unworthy servants.”