On the eve of the 5th week of Great Lent, Metropolitan Kirill held an all-night vigil at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Kazan.

      On the evening of March 28, on the eve of the 5th Sunday of Great Lent, in honor of St. Mary of Egypt, Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan held an all-night vigil at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Kazan. Before the service began, the bishop familiarized himself with the progress of restoration work in the lower church of the cathedral. During the service, His Eminence was assisted by the dean of the I Kazan district, Archpriest Vladimir Samoylenko, the rector of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, Archpriest Sergey Titov, the rector of the Epiphany Cathedral, Archpriest Alexey Derzhavin, the rector of the John the Baptist Monastery in Kazan, Igumen Alexey (Yatseiko), and the clergy of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. The hymns were performed by the archdiocesan mixed choir under the direction of Marina Litvinenko. During the polyelai, Deacon Evgeny Britvin was elevated to the rank of protodeacon. After the reading of the Gospel, a sermon was delivered by the clergy of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, Priest Antoniy Yermoshin. At the end, Metropolitan Kirill addressed the faithful: "We congratulate you all on the holiday, dear fathers, brothers, and sisters! This morning we celebrated the feast of the Most Holy Theotokos with great love. And in the evening, on the eve of Sunday, we gathered for prayer in the temple where one of the main shrines of our land is kept – the Seven Lakes Icon of the Mother of God. Usually, this icon resides in the altar, but today, by God's mercy, we have the blessed opportunity to pray before this venerated shrine. Millions of people have raised their prayers to the Mother of God before this image. The Most Holy Theotokos has always answered prayers, saving the land of Kazan from many troubles, diseases, and calamities. We thank God for preserving this shrine for our edification and salvation. We always come to this holy temple with joy. Personally, this visit reminds me of the visits of 'old times.' Back then, the communities were very close-knit, everyone knew each other, rejoiced at every meeting, and fervently prayed to God. This prayerful silence is present here today. There is a sense of calmness, reverence, and grace in this temple. I am very grateful to all of you for preserving the true spirit of the parishes of the Russian Church, in which we once grew." Metropolitan Kirill reminded that this year the Peter and Paul Cathedral will celebrate its 300th anniversary and wished that the ancient temple would continue to serve as a place of edification and consolation for the residents of Kazan and the guests of the city. The bishop thanked the rector of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, Archpriest Sergey Titov, his wife, Mother Nadezhda Titova, the parish warden Mikhail Fedotov, the clergy, and the staff of the temple. In conclusion, the bishop blessed the faithful. On March 29, on the 5th Sunday of Great Lent, in honor of St. Mary of Egypt, Metropolitan Kirill will celebrate the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God of the Kazan Male Monastery (5 Bolshaya Krasnaya St.). The service will begin at 9:00.