A year ago, Orthodox residents of Cancún, Mexico, asked His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ to bless their intention to organize a parish of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Office for Institutions Abroad of the Moscow Patriarchate instructed Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, to help organize regular services for members of the community and to study the possibility of opening a parish. Over the past year, with the blessing of Bishop Matthew, the rector of Holy Protection Church in Mexico, Priest Kirill Chacón, repeatedly visited the community of believers in Cancún, where in the local Catholic church, kindly provided by Bishop Pedro Pablo Elizondo of Chetumal and Cancún, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy, sacraments and services of need.
On the feast of Theophany, January 19, 2020, with the blessing of Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, the head of the chancery of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Priest Mark Rashkov, visited Cancún and, with Fr. Kirill Chacón, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and the Great Blessing of Water. During the Liturgy, the Sacrament of Baptism was performed on a local resident, the servant of God Dimitry. The liturgical hymns were sung by the wives of Priests Mark and Kirill, Matushka Anastasia and Matushka Catalina.
At the end of the service, Fr. Mark greeted everyone on the feast of Theophany and conveyed the blessing and good wishes of Bishop Matthew. Also, on the archpastor’s instruction, Fr. Mark presented Priest Kirill with the Patriarchal jubilee medal commemorating the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church, gratefully noting Fr. Kirill’s many labors in caring for the children of our Church in Mexico.
Fellowship of the clergy and faithful continued over tea, during which Bishop Matthew’s representative, Fr. Mark, answered parishioners’ questions and discussed with active parish members practical issues of further organizing the parish.
In the afternoon, Priests Mark and Kirill met with the Bishop of Cancún, Monsignor Pedro Pablo. During the conversation, the clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate expressed particular gratitude for the free use of the church for Orthodox services. On behalf of Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Fr. Mark conveyed to the Bishop of Cancún congratulations on the Nativity of Christ and Theophany and presented him with an icon of the Mother of God “The Merciful.”
