Penza, 14 October 2015. PenzaNews. The 250th anniversary of the Pokrovsky Bishop’s Cathedral was celebrated on Wednesday, October 14, with a lithurgy held by the Archbishop Serafim of Penza and Nizhny Lomov, Bishop Mitrofan of Serdobsk and Spassk, and Bishop Nestor of Kuznetsk and Nikolsk, together with the cathedral choir under chorister Lidiya Popkova.

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Following the lithurgy, the rector of the Cathedral, Archpriest Joannes Yavorsky, congratulated the congregation with the religious holiday of Pokrov of Our Lady.

Afterwards, the acting head of Internal Policy and Mass Communications department of the regional government Alexander Yelatontsev read out an address from the Penza region governor Ivan Belozertsev.

“The history of the Pokrovsky Cathedral is indivisible with the history of the Sura land and the city of Penza. In spite of the tough time, the years of attacks against religion, the holy Orthodox relics of Penza have been restored multiple times thanks to the congregation,” it read.

The address went on to point out that the cathedral is a perfect example of a union of Orthodox believers of many generations, a center of spiritual and moral education for the younger generation, and a jewel of Penza.

In turn, the Archbishop Serafim told the congregation that the Russian people always treated the religious holidays of Our Lady with particular reverence.

“Perhaps, there is no other more revered saint with so many temples dedicated to it. And so our noble predecessors had settled here, before Penza city was founded, and also built a church at this place,” he said.

He added that it was the stone church that had been built here 250 years ago.

“But before it, there had been wooden temples. Although, not all of them were dedicated to the Pokrov. Nevertheless, this is sacred ground for all of us, as hundreds of our noble predecessors prayed here,” the archbishop noted.

He also recalled the rectors that shaped the history of the cathedral.

“There is no doubt that the present labors of Father Joannes [Yavorsky] over the past year show this congregation is a lively one that is growing in strength,” he stressed.

Having said that, the Archbishop Serafim rewarded Joannes Yavorsky with a religious medal “For Good Deeds.”

A concert that followed involved art bands and children ensembles.