(Peter Anderson) On Sunday, June 26, Metropolitan Hilarion celebrated his first Divine Liturgy in Budapest as the Russian Orthodox Metropolitan of Budapest and Hungary. A video of the entire Liturgy can be seen here. Sunday was the Feast Day of the Saints of the Russian Land. As described in the following article, one of the saints described by Metropolitan Hilarion in his address at the end of the Liturgy was St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow. St. Philip was martyred because he “was not afraid to stand up to the terrible tyrant who shed innocent blood.” The following is an English-language article describing the address by Metropolitan Hilarion: (spzh.news) The exploits of the holy confessors of the Church of Russia should serve as an example for Orthodox Christians, for in the history of Russian holiness there have been many great names and exploits, said Metropolitan Hilarion of Budapest and Hungary. Metropolitan Hilarion noted that when thinking about saints in Russia, people immediately raise their eyes to the times of Kievan Rus, the Baptism of Rus in the waters of the Dnieper by St Prince Vladimir, to the feats of St. Fathers of Kiev Caves. The Metropolitan also mentioned the deed of Metropolitan Philip, who condemned Ivan the Terrible, who shed innocent blood. (...)
