Русская Версия

June 26, 2010
Howell, NJ: The Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God returned to the USA

On Thursday, June 24, after a five-month visit to the parishes and monasteries of Russia, Ukraine, Western Europe, and Great Britain, the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora, the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, departed from the shores of the Old World and returned to the United States. With the blessing of the First Hierarch of ROCOR, the wonder-working icon was accompanied on Her return trip from London to New York by the secretary of the Eastern American Diocese, Archpriest Serge Lukianov.

On Friday, June 25, faithful from throughout New Jersey gathered in St. George’s Church at the diocesan center in Howell, NJ, to triumphantly greet the wonder-working icon with a crucession and the peal of bells. After greeting the icon, the people sang a moleben with akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos, led by Archpriest Serge Lukianov, co-served by Archpriest Paul Shafran (pastor emeritus of St. Vladimir Church in Trenton, NJ – OCA), Priest Leonid Goferman (rector of Holy Virgin Protection Church in New Brunswick, NJ), Priest Serge Ledkovsky (deputy rector of St. Vladimir Memorial Church in Jackson, NJ), Priest Jonah Campbell (diocesan treasurer), and Deacon Leonid Roschko (cleric of St. George’s Church). Present and praying during the moleben were New Jersey Dean and rector of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Lakewood, Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov, and Deacon Vladimir Oliynyk (cleric of New Martyrs and Confessors Church in Brooklyn, NY).

From Howell, the Kursk Icon will visit the Serbian Cathedral of St. Sava in New York, and will be present at the divine services on Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th of June. The icon will then return to the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign on Monday, June 28, for the namesday of His Grace Jerome, Bishop of Manhattan, vicar of the Eastern American Diocese.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese