5 December 2011 marked the third anniversary of the demise of His Holiness Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and All Russia.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated a memorial service at the tomb of the 15th Patriarch of Moscow at the Annunciation side-altar of the Moscow Cathedral of the Epiphany.
Praying at the service were Metropolitan Varsonofiy of Saransk and Mordovia, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; Bishop Ilian (Vostryakov); Bishop Serafim (Zaliznitsky); Bishop Irinarkh of Krasnogorsk, chairman of the Synodal Department for Ministry in Prisons; Bishop Amvrosiy of Gatchina, rector of the St. Petersburg Theological schools; Bishop Feofilakt of Pyatigorsk and Cherkessk; Bishop Sergiy of Solnechnogorsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administrative Secretariat; protopresbyter Matfei Stadnyuk, rector of the Cathedral of the Epiphany; archpriest Vladimir Divakov, the Patriarch’s secretary for Moscow; archpriest Mikhail Ryazantsev, sacristan of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour; archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; deans of Moscow deaneries; mother superiors of Moscow convents; Moscow clergymen; staff members of the Moscow Patriarchate; and many laymen.
After the memorial service, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed the worshippers and laid flowers at the tomb of Patriarch Alexei II. A wreath was also laid at the tomb on behalf of Patriarch Kirill.