19-01-2012, Nice

Russian bishop leads service at Orthodox cathedral in Nice re-acquired by Moscow

An Epiphany service on Thursday at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Nice had been the first Divine Liturgy at that church to be celebrated by a Moscow bishop since the start of the last century.

The service was led by Mgr. Nestor, Bishop of Korsun, said a statement on the website of the Korsun diocese, which brings together Russian Orthodox parishes in France, Spain, Switzerland and Portugal.

The same day Bishop Nestor performed the blessing of the water.

In addressing the congregation, the bishop expressed hope the cathedral would soon become the center of a strong Orthodox community.

Last month, Kremlin deputy property manager Sergey Bolkhovitin handed the keys to the cathedral to its new rector Archpriest Nicolas Ozoline, in ending a lengthy and dramatic process of returning the building to the Moscow Patriarchate.

Interfax