DETROIT -- The Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament was filled with song and prayer on Wednesday evening, as Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Nicholas and members of his Church joined Archbishop Allen Vigneron for an evening prayer service on the eve of St. Anne's feast day.

The ecumenical service again brought the Greek Orthodox and Catholic churches together in prayer. In December 2010, it was Archbishop Vigneron who visited the Greek Orthodox Church on the feast day of St. Nicholas -- who is highly revered in Greek Orthodox tradition.

Both Greek Orthodox and Catholics also hold a deep reverence for St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who Pope Benedict XVI last year officially named patroness of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Giving the homily at the prayer service, Metropolitan Nicholas said it was fitting St. Anne should be named patroness of the region, and asked those gathered to ask her to be not only protector and patron, but also to be their mother. He spoke of the parenthood of St. Anne and St. Joachim, and how they had a central role in the raising of the Blessed Virgin Mary and, thus, on the miracle of the incarnation.

At the end of the service, the two bishops exchanged icons -- Metropolitan Nicholas giving Archbishop Vigneron an icon of St. Anne and St. Joachim, and Archbishop Vigneron giving the Metropolitan an icon of Ste. Anne.

Archbishop Vigneron said the icon given by Metropolitan Nicholas and the Greek Orthodox faithful will be prominently displayed at the Cathedral as a sign of unity between Catholics and the Greek Orthodox churches.