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Patriarch Kirill arrives in Krymsk

The patriarch will held a prayer and a funeral service for the dead flood victims at the Church of Archangel Michael

KRYMSK, southern Russia, July 23 (Itar-Tass) — Patriarch Kirill arrived in the flood-affected Krymsk on Monday afternoon. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church started his trip from visiting two streets – Sovetskaya and Adagumskaya- that were worst hit by the recent natural disaster as well as the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God situated in the flood-stricken area.

The patriarch will held a prayer and a funeral service for the dead flood victims at the Church of Archangel Michaelwhere a crisis center was set up in the first hours of the tragedy. The center has received more than 849 tons of relief aid which church volunteer teams deliver to people who need it. Doctors are working at the Church of Archangel Michael 24 hours a day.

Patriarch Kirill will meet the widow of policeman Vyacheslav Gorbunov who died while saving people in Krymsk and hand over to her the Order of Dmitry Donskoy which the patriarch posthumously conferred on the late policeman for saving 35 people, including eight children. The Order of Saint Righteous Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy was established by his Holiness Patriarch Alexiy II and the Holy Synod on 1 October 2004.