The consecration of a new church under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate took place in the Belgian city of Antwerp on October 24, 2021. The event was preceded by a survey of parishioners, following which it was decided to dedicate the church to St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, Pravlife writes.

Archbishop Simon of Brussels and Belgium brought up the issue of the name of the temple for discussion a year ago. The believers did not choose Saint John by chance, since he is very much loved among the Russian emigrants of Europe. As it turned out, among the Orthodox in Belgium there are people who personally knew the saint – for 13 years he led the Brussels See, being a tireless helper and merciful father for his flock.

The rite of consecration of the temple was performed by the Archbishop of Brussels and Belgium Simon. Especially for such a solemn event, a particle of relics was brought from San Francisco, where the tomb of St. John is located in the Cathedral in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”.

After the consecration, Vladyka Simon handed over to the Flemish aristocratic family the family banner, which had been kept in the church for many years. Then, a festive Divine Liturgy took place, followed by a general meal.

As previously reported, on July 1, 2021, a monument was consecrated in honor of St. John, installed in the skete of the Svyatogorsk Lavra in the village of Adamovka in the Donetsk region. The monument was erected with the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York and His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the birth of the saint and the 100th anniversary of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.