On Forgiveness Sunday, the Patriarchal Exarch of South-East Asia celebrated Liturgy at Archpastor Metochion of St. Vladimir’s Church in Bekasi, Indonesia

On February 26, Cheesefare Week, the remembrance of Adam’s exile (Forgiveness Sunday), the Patriarchal Exarch of South-East Asia, Metropolitan Sergiy of Singapore and South-East Asia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Archpastor Metochion of St. Vladimir’s Church in Bekasi.

His Eminence was co-served by Hieromonk Cyril (Situmeang) and Hieromonk Methodius (Sugiarto), clerics of the Archpastor Metochion of St. Vladimir’s Church in Bekasi; Hierodeacon Juvenaly (Marushchak), Senior Deacon of the Patriarchal Exarchate of South-East Asia; Deacon Michael Borodai, Cleric of the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in Singapore; Deacon Dorotheus Gunavan, Cleric of the Archpastor Metochion of St. Vladimir’s Church in Bekasi; Deacon Damian Darmavan, Cleric of the Church of the Apostle Thomas in Jakarta; and Deacon Ammon S, Cleric of the Archpastor Metochion of St. Vladimir’s Church in Bekasi.

The chants of the Liturgy were sung in Church Slavonic and Indonesian.

After the end of the divine service, Metropolitan Sergiy served Vespers with the Rite of Forgiveness. Then, the clergy changed their yellow vestments to the Lenten black, and the singing of special chants started. Vladyka read kneeling prayers for the beginning of Great Lent and then addressed the faithful with the archpastoral word.

Vladyka congratulated everyone on the beginning of the Holy Quadragesima and presented the cross for kissing to the clergy and parishioners as a blessing for the passage of Great Lent.

By tradition, believers asked each other for forgiveness.