Русская Версия

June 27, 2010
Buffalo, NY: Bishop George led the divine services in Sts. Theodore Church on the occasion of the patronal feast day

On Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th of June, His Grace, Bishop George of Mayfield, made an archpastoral to Sts. Theodore Church in Williamsville (Buffalo), NY on the occasion of the parish feast of the Translation of the relics of St. Theodore Stratelates. His Grace was accompanied by Deacon Nicholas Olhovsky (cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery) and Rassaphor Monk Boris (Provatakis; resident of Holy Cross Monastery).

His Grace led the All-Night Vigil, co-served by rector Priest Peter Jackson, Archpriest Theodore Jurewicz (cleric of Holy Nativity Church in Erie, PA), Archpriest Mykola Krywonos (rector of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Church in Buffalo, NY), Archpriest Rastko Trbuhovich (rector of St. Stephen Serbian Church in Lackawanna, NY), and Priest Seraphim Wing (cleric of St. Nicholas Church in Edinboro, PA).

On the following day, His Grace tonsured two new readers for the parish during the Sixth Hour: Andrew Hammond and John Kachelmeyer. Fr. Peter, Fr. Theodore, and Fr. Nicholas concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with Vladyka. The parish choir sang skillfully and prayerfully under the direction of Justin Kawa.

In his homily, Bishop George spoke on the martyric death of St. Theodore Stratelates, and compared his role as a Roman officer to that of the centurion in the Gospel reading. Vladyka noted that two outstanding virtues of the centurion were his compassion for his ailing slave and his humility in approaching the Lord, virtues that St. Theodore shared and for which we must all strive.

A bountiful luncheon was prepared after the Liturgy, during which all stood to sing "Memory Eternal" to the late founders of the parish, Reader James and Lillian Williams, with whom His Grace had been very close. Mrs. Williams reposed in the Lord on the Eve of Nativity this year. It was with her indispensable help that the parish was able to purchase a neighboring house and expand its property.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese