The archpastoral visit of Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan to the parishes of the Samarkand Deanery continues. On 28 February 2018, Metropolitan Vikenty celebrated the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at the Church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious in Samarkand.
His Eminence was assisted by the clergy of the deanery.
After the service, as is customary, Metropolitan Vikenty addressed the parishioners of St. George's Church with an archpastoral word:
"Today we have gathered in this church of the holy Great Martyr George the Victorious and glorified the holy Apostle Onesimus. Like the holy apostles, we too must follow the voice of Christ the Savior and fulfil His holy will. If we do not do this, we will lose Him. The most important thing is not to lose eternity, which the Lord has given us at a great price, the price of His Blood, His sufferings and torments. We must try to look more often at the preaching of Christ the Savior, especially now, in the days of Great Lent. Seeing His lofty feats, we should encourage ourselves a little and set ourselves to the same feat, if only in a small measure, in abstinence and fasting.
In the days of Great Lent we pray that the Lord will give us a spirit of humility, patience, obedience, diligence, renunciation of our own will, and life according to the will of God. We must understand that the Lord is ready to give us this when we are ready to receive it and act on it. When we are ready to receive but not to act, He does not give it to us. But with God's help we can do a great deal.
Dear brothers and sisters, God grant that we spend this fast piously, in a way pleasing to God and profitable to us, so as to acquire the true qualities of an Orthodox Christian. It is very important that we Orthodox people be kind, responsive, merciful and full of love, that we live together, love and respect one another, not quarrel, not grumble against one another, not judge. Let us be forbearing toward one another, because everyone has infirmities and weaknesses, and we must find the strength to live in peace. Let us live as a close-knit Orthodox family, so that we Orthodox people may be seen in this city. Let us by our labours draw the mercy of God upon our life, our community, our state and our earthly world."
After the service, the archpastor served a litiya for the departed at the graves of Archimandrite Seraphim and Archpriest Dimitry Kozulin, and then visited the tomb of the Prophet Daniel and honoured the memory of the First President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, at his grave.
In the evening of the same day, Metropolitan Vikenty, assisted by the clergy of the Samarkand and Syrdarya Deaneries, celebrated the service appointed by the Typikon at the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra, in Jizzakh.
After the service, addressing the Orthodox flock of Jizzakh, His Eminence reminded them that during Great Lent "we pray with the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian that the Lord may open our spiritual eyes so that we may see our own sins and not judge our brother. Let us pray that the Lord may open our hearts and that we may see our shortcomings. In the spiritual life it is very important to see oneself and not to judge anyone".
