On the Day of the Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, rector of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies (CMI), celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the church of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist at the Patriarchal Metochion of the Wonder-workers of Chernigov. 

Metropolitan Hilarion was assisted by Archpriest Vladimir Shmaliy, CMI pro-rector, and Rev. Mikhail Nemnonov of the Metochion of the Wonder-workers of Chernigov.

After the service, Metropolitan Hilarion greeted the congregation on the occasion of the Nativity of Christ and the Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God. 

In his archpastoral homily, His Eminence Hilarion pointed to the special importance of the example of pure and immaculate life given by the Most Holy Mother of God for the spiritual efforts of every Orthodox Christian. 

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