On February 22, in the Lycian Worlds (now the city of Demre in Turkey), in the basilica of the VIII century, the first divine service in 2024 was served for Russian-speaking believers of the Moscow Patriarchate living in Turkey and pilgrims from Russia.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Priest Alexey Golovin, who looks after the community in Antalya. A choir led by Maria Golovina sang at the service, according to the website of the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Turkey.
According to the Acts of the Apostles, it was in the Lycian Worlds that the Apostle Paul set foot on the land of Asia Minor on his way to Rome: "... having crossed the sea against Cilicia and Pamphylia, they arrived in the Lycian Worlds" (Acts 27:5).
St. Nicholas the Wonderworker lived, preached and was buried in the Worlds.