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October
13, 2009
Stratford, CT: Metropolitan
Hilarion led the 80th Anniversary Celebration of St.
Nicholas Church
On
Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th of October, His Eminence,
Metropolitan Hilarion, led the divine services at St. Nicholas Church
in Stratford, CT to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the parish's
founding. Upon his arrival, the parish youth greeted the Metropolitan
with flower petals. His Eminence was co-served by seven priests and
two deacons during the All-Night Vigil. After the service, a dinner
was held in the parish hall. The following morning, Metropolitan
Hilarion was co-served during the Divine Liturgy by rector Archpriest
George Lardas, Archpriest Stavros Rousos, Archpriest Theodore Shevzov,
Igumen Varsanufi, Hieromonk Nicholas Perekrestov, Protodeacon Nicholas
Drobot, and Deacon Dimitri Temidis. During the reading of the hours,
James Lardas was tonsured a reader. During the Little Entrance,
Archpriests Theodore Shevzov and George Lardas were awarded the right
to wear the epigonation (palitsa). After completion of the Liturgy,
gramatas were awarded to warden Leopold "Lev" Peavy III,
both matushkas, and several parishioners. His Eminence presented an
icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God to the parish in prayerful memory of
the 80th anniversary of the parish's founding.
After
the Liturgy, a festive banquet was held in the parish hall, during
which the parish children's choir, under the direction of Mrs. Elena
Curran and Mrs. Katherine Callaghan, performed songs and Russian
dances. A performance was also given by the professional Russian dance
group Barynya. As the banquet progressed, the rector spoke of the
parish's close ties to Holy Trinity Monastery, since the first rector
was the monastery's founder, Archimandrite Panteleimon (Nizhnik).
Further, Mr. Alexis Boldakoff was the architect for both Holy Trinity
Monastery and St. Nicholas Church. The second rector was Fr. Joseph (Kolos).
Another past rector, Archpriest Stavros Rousos, also gave an address
recounting the many improvements made to the church building during
his twenty years as rector, and the importance of maintaining such an
historical and architectural gem. In his remarks at the banquet,
Metropolitan Hilarion noted that, like many of our parishes, St.
Nicholas had humble origins, starting out in a house, but later
growing and flourishing, attracting both non-Russian and new Russian
members in addition to the descendants of the original founders. His
Eminence stressed the importance of welcoming newcomers to the church.
Stratford's Mayor, James Miron, presented the parish with a
congratulatory proclamation, which has been written into the
town records. Mayor Miron stressed the importance of the strong
historical ties between St. Nicholas Church and Stratford, because
Russian émigré Igor Sikorsky was one of the founders of St. Nicholas
parish and of Sikorsky Aircraft, located there. Connecticut’s
Governor, M. Jodi Rell, also sent a representative with a
congratulatory proclamation. A slide show of photos from the parish's
eighty years was then shown.
Maria
Wolog Peavy was the 80th Anniversary Chairperson, organizing the
Banquet, and publishing a Commemorative Book which was presented to
Metropolitan Halation, clergy, and all attendees of the Banquet.
Media
Office of the Eastern American Diocese
