May
8, 2010 Howell, NJ: St. George’sFeastDayattheDiocesanCenteroftheEasternAmericanDiocese
On
Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th of May, 2010, on the feast day
of the Holy Great Martyr and Trophy-Bearer George, festal divine
services were served in St.
George’s Church at the Diocesan Center in Howell, NJ, in honor
of the church’s patronal feast day and namesday of His Grace George,
Bishop of Mayfield.
On
Wednesday evening, the All-Night Vigil was led by Bishop George,
co-served by the rector, Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Igumen Sergius
(abbot of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery in South Canaan, PA),
Hieromonk Alexander (Frizzell – monk of Holy Cross Monastery),
Priest Jonah Campbell (parish cleric), Protodeacon Paul Wolkow (cleric
of St. Seraphim’s Church in Sea Cliff, NY), Deacon Leonid Roschko
(parish cleric), and Deacon Nathan Mousselli (cleric of St. Alexander
Nevsky Cathedral in Lakewood, NJ). Before the beginning of the
service, His Grace performed the lesser blessing of the church,
following the successful completion of renovations. New air
conditioning was installed, a new hardwood floor was laid down, a
kliros was constructed, and the domes repaired.
The
following morning, the Divine Liturgy was led by His Eminence
Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch
of the Russian Church Abroad, co-served by the vicar bishops, Their
Graces George of Mayfield and Jerome of Manhattan, and a
multitude of diocesan and local clergy. Before the beginning of
the Liturgy, His Eminence tonsured parishioner Oleg P. Varavko a
reader.
In
attendance at the St. George’s Day festivities were representatives
of the Kuban Cossack Voisko, the Kuban regional government, the
Russian Consulate in New York City, and St. George Pathfinders of
America (SGPA): Oleg V. Ratushnyak, head of the Division of National
Education and Traditional Cossack Culture of the Department of Cossack
Affairs of the Kuban regional government; Alexander G. Shein, head of
the legal division of the Kuban regional government; Nicholas S.
Pervakov, first vice ataman of the Kuban Cossack Voisko; Victor A.
Kalinenko, ataman of the Labinsk Division of the Kuban Cossack Voisko;
the Vice Consul of the Russian Federation in New York, Andrey V.
Rogozin, and Head Scoutmaster of SGPA, Alexey T. Zacharin. The main
goal of the Kuban delegation was the transfer of copies of Kuban
Cossack regalia in accordance with an agreement between the Kuban
Cossack Voisko Abroad and the Kuban Cossack Voisko in Russia. Over the
last few years, the Kuban Cossack Voisko Abroad (whose center and
museum are located next to St. George’s Church), has been
incrementally returning these priceless Cossack artifacts and regalia
to a new military museum in the Kuban, while the Cossacks in the Kuban
return exact copies of the items to the museum in Howell.
Upon
completion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Hilarion blessed the new
copies of the military regalia – two banners of Alexander Nevsky,
and two imperial certificates, from Emperor Paul I and Empress
Catherine II. After the blessing of the regalia, the Kuban
representatives presented His Eminence with gifts on behalf of the
Kuban Cossacks. In turn, His Eminence thanked the dignitaries and
presented them with diocesan gramotas, thanking them for their
participation in the St. George’s Day festivities. The Metropolitan
also presented parishioner Kyrill V. Novitsky with a diocesan gramota,
thanking him for his diligent labors in renovating St. George’s
Church. On behalf of the Eastern American Diocese, His Grace, Bishop
George, was presented with a new set of golden hierarchal vestments on
the occasion of His Grace’s namesday.
The
deacons then intoned the Polychronion for His Holiness the Patriarch,
the parish clergy, and for all those celebrating their namesday.
Immediately after the service, the Metropolitan departed for the
airport, from whence he then flew to the Ukraine to take part in the
festivities commemorating the 850th anniversary of the Holy Assumption
Cathedral in Vladimir-Volynsky.
In
the Cossack hall, a festive luncheon was held, during which the guests
from the Kuban honored the diocesan bishops, the rector, and other
dignitaries who had taken part in the process of the regalia’s
return. A montage of over 300 photographs, depicting the last 18
months of parish life and renovations, was then presented.
