On 25th May the Patriarchal exarch for Africa the metropolitan of Zaraisk Constantine visited the Christian cemetery in the city of Bizerte in Tunisia.
The bishop served a short service for the departed at which he commemorated the builders and trustees of the Russian churches in Tunis, including the warden of the Church of Saint Alexander Nevsky A.A. Shirinskaya-Manstein, and all those sailors who had come to Bizerte in 1920 on warships and who were buried here, reports the site of the exarchate.
Praying also at the service was the rector of the Russian church in Tunis archpriest Dmitry Netsvetaev.
At the end of the service for the departed the bishop visited the Museum of the Russian Naval Squadron in Bizerte. Museum curator L.V. Bogdanova showed the bishop the museum exhibits. At the conclusion of his visit metropolitan Constantine left his comments in the visitors’ book.
The same evening on the eve of the Fourth Sunday after Pascha of the Paralytic metropolitan Constantine visited the Church of Saint Alexander Nevsky in Bizerte where he conducted the evening service. Serving with the bishop was Father Dmitry Netsvetaev.
At the end of the service the metropolitan on behalf of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill distributed Patriarchal awards to the members of the community who had especially laboured for the good of the Holy Church. The church warden T.R. Messaudi was awarded the Order of Saint Olga Equal-to-the-Apostles, 3rd Degree. Patriarchal certificates were also given to the curator of the Museum of the Russian Naval Squadron L.V. Bogdanova and the parish secretary of the Church of Saint Alexander Nevsky M.V. Uadr.
As a gift to the church the bishop presented a censer and icon of the Saviour and also handed out to the congregation decorative Paschal eggs.
Patriarchal exarchate of Africa
Translation: DECR Communication service
