The President’s first working meeting this year with the Archbishop of Tiraspol and Dubossary took place at the presidential executive office. The interlocutors exchanged congratulations on the upcoming holiday of Epiphany, wishing each other and all Pridnestrovians health and peace. They discussed the readiness to hold a traditional Orthodox rite Epiphany plunge in the cities and villages of the republic.
They talked about the past year results. Archbishop Sawa noted that the diocese he heads annually provides summary reporting information to the Moscow Patriarchate. The temple in the village of Pervomaisk opening is important event for Pridnestrovian Orthodoxy in 2023. A great loss did not go unnoticed – the passing of the rector of the Church of New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church, Father Vadim Troshchinsky. The military priest of the Black Sea Cossack army passed away in December. He is laid to rest near the walls of the temple in which he served. His relatives, as well as clergy and Cossacks, gathered at his grave for a memorial prayer yesterday, on the eve of the 40th day since Father Vadim left this world, the Archbishop said.
They discussed issues related to the upcoming construction of the Church of Elijah the Prophet in Dnistrovsk in the course of today's meeting, as well as the completion of work on the construction of the Bendery Church of the Resurrection of Christ. The temple under construction is located near the city cemetery. The first service is planned to be held on Easter. The temple icon, painted in Moscow specifically for the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, is waiting in the diocese to be presented, Archbishop Sawa said.
They talked about the printed publication of the Tiraspol-Dubossary diocese – “The Orthodox Pridnestrovie” newspaper. It has been published since 1998 and has not lost its significance, the interlocutors noted.