Egor Skopenko, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage, was awarded the patriarchal award – the medal of the Order of the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov for his assistance in the construction of the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy" in the Lebanese city of Zahle.
The award was presented to Egor Skopenko by the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR) Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk of the Moscow Patriarchate on May 18, 2025, during a festive dinner on the occasion of the great consecration of the temple.
Metropolitan Anthony thanked the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage represented by Egor Skopenko for his special contribution to the construction of the Orthodox church and expressed hope for further fruitful cooperation.
Recall, the great consecration храма in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy" in the Lebanese city of Zahle was held on May 18, 2025. The celebrations were attended by a joint delegation from the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations and the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage. Russian Russian architectural style of the church is a symbol of friendship between the Russian and Lebanese peoples.
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The Medal of the Order of the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov was established by the decree of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II and the Holy Synod on March 25, 2004 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Seraphim of Sarov.
The medal of the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov is awarded to clergy, monastics and laity for their contribution to the revival of monasteries and churches, for pastoral and church-social activities.