On Sunday, October 16, 2011, our dear Vladika, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern American & New York, visited our parish for our Parish Festivities. On Saturday evening Vladika headed the serving of the Vigil service. Next morning during the hours, Metropolitan Hilarion tonsured parishioner Nathan Reff a reader. During the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence was co-served by the rector, Hieromonk Theophylact (Clapper-DeWell; cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery), Protodeacon Joseph Jarostchuk (cleric of St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Church in Utica, NY), and our parish Protodeacon Andrej Strapko.
During the Small Entrance, for his zealous and dedicated service to Christ’s Holy Church, Metropolitan Hilarion awarded Fr. Andrej the kamilavka. His Eminence also ordained our parish subdeacon Nikifor Franklin to the diaconate. The newly ordained Fr. Nikifor will fulfill his service at our Church.
Upon completion of the Liturgy, Vladika thanked the parish for their hospitality and especially noted how inspiring the singing of the choir was. Fr. Gregory thanked His Eminence for his archpastoral visit and fatherly love for the parish. A bountiful luncheon was then offered in the parish refectory by the parish sisterhood.
On September 17, 2011 the Myrrh-streaming Icon the Iveron Mother of God from Hawaii visited our Parish. A moleben service with Akathist was served at our church at 6:30 p.m. Veneration of the icon ended late evening. It was a once in a lifetime experience for most who came. We are grateful to God and to His holy Mother for this great visitation!
On May 15, 2011, our Iconographer Hieromonk Andrei (Erastov), came to complete the Icon of the Feast of the Meeting of our Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ. This icon completes the upper portion of the north vault of our church
On the evening of Tuesday January 25, 2011, our parish was graced by a visit by the Miraculous Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. The Icon was brought by Archpriests Sergey Lukianov and his assistants. The church, adorned graciously with flowers for this occasion by our sisterhood, was filled to capacity with more than 250 people present. A moleben and akathist was served before the icon and then everyone had a chance to come up venerate the icon and be blessed with holy oil and a small copy of the icon. While the veneration took place, the choir beautifully sang prayerful hymns praising the Most Holy Mother of God. It was truly a spiritually joyous occasion.
Pictures from our annual parish Yolka – Christmas Paugent on January 16, 2011
