On May 18, 2025, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR) During his visit to Lebanon, Metropolitan Anthony of the Moscow Patriarchate of Volokolamsk took part in the celebrations on the occasion of the great consecration of the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy" in the city of Zahle.
The newly built church was erected in the Russian architectural style on the initiative of Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch to the Moscow Patriarchal See, in the hierarch's hometown. Construction work took place in 2019-2024 with financial assistance from the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage and funds from private benefactors.
Hierarchs of the Antiochian and Russian Orthodox Churches participated in the solemn service together with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk: Metropolitan Anthony of Zahle and Baalbek, Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, Metropolitan Elijah of Tyre and Sidon, Metropolitan Silouan of the Mountains of Lebanon, Metropolitan Theodore of Volgograd and Kamyshinsky and Metropolitan Alexy of Chelyabinsk and Miass.
The archpastors of the two Sister Churches, concelebrated by a host of clergy, celebrated the rite of great consecration and the Divine Liturgy in the newly consecrated church. The hierarchs were co-served by: Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Adviser to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Great Antioch and All the East; Archimandrite Serafim, rector of the Russian Orthodox Church in Lebanon; Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Deputy Chairman of the DECR; Archimandrite Serafim, rector of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia in Moscow (Shemyatovsky); Archpriest Daniel Andreyuk, representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Priest Nikolai Vasin, Secretary to the DECR Chairman; clergy of the Antiochian and Moscow Patriarchates.
Prayer services were performed in Arabic, Greek, and Church Slavonic.
The church was attended by Deputy Prime Minister of the Lebanese Republic T. Mitri, Deputy Chairman of the Lebanese Parliament I. Bo Saab, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Lebanese Republic A. N. Rudakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Slovakia to Lebanon M. Franko, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation V.I. Yakunin, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Support of Christian E.I. Skopenko, representatives of the Muslim community and non-Orthodox Christian denominations, numerous public and political figures of Lebanon.
At the end of the service, Metropolitan Anthony of Zahle and Baalbek warmly greeted those present.
Then the floor was given to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk. His Eminence conveyed to all participants of the celebrations the warm greetings of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. He also noted that today the long-standing dream of Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis to build a Russian-style temple in his homeland has come true, and now this newly built temple shines with its golden domes. The Russian Orthodox Church was happy to help in the implementation of this plan, because Metropolitan Niphon has been serving as the representative of the Antiochian Patriarchate in Moscow for 48 years and enjoys wide fame and deep respect there. Metropolitan Niphon fell in love with Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church as warmly and cordially as he loved his homeland. The DECR Chairman stressed that the church erected is a visible symbol of this love, and its consecration is of great importance not only for Zahle and Lebanon, but also for relations between the Patriarchates of Antioch and Moscow. Then Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk presented Metropolitan Niphon with a high church award – the Order of St. Andrew the Iconographer, II degree, which he was awarded for his efforts to build the church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy" in the city of Zahle and in connection with the 65th anniversary of his service in the church. In memory of the consecration, Metropolitan Anthony donated the altar cross to the temple, and Metropolitan Niphon received the Holy Panagia.
Metropolitan Niphon, who spoke afterwards, expressed his deep gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, saying that he felt the presence of His Holiness through his representative, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, as well as through the presence of fellow bishops from the Russian Orthodox Church.
Then the Patriarchal awards were presented to the benefactors who worked hard in the construction of the temple.
The consecration of the museum located on the territory of the temple also took place, after which the participants of the service were invited by Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis to a solemn dinner.