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July 18, 2011
Northville, NY: Metropolitan Hilarion "Day of Remembrance of the
Fallen Faithful" at SGPA’s "Tsarskoe Selo" scout camp
On
Saturday, July 16, on the eve of the feast of the Holy Royal
Martyrs, St. George Pathfinders of America summer scout camp,
"Tsarskoe Selo" Chapter (Northville, NY), marked the "Day of
Remembrance of the Fallen Faithful" (Russian: DPV).
The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence
Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, led the
All-Night Vigil in
St. George's Chapel, co-served by the camp’s spiritual father,
Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Hieromonk Gabriel (Kvasnikov),
Protodeacon
Nicholas Lukianov (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in
Lakewood, NJ), and Deacon Nicholas Olhovsky (cleric of Holy Trinity
Monastery).
After the Vigil and dinner, the DPV ceremony continued as planned on
the camp’s parade
grounds. The ceremony began with opening remarks by the Head
Scoutmaster, Alexey T. Zacharin, followed by the presentation of the
color guard, which included the chapter’s standard, flanked by the
American and Russian flags. After the recitation of the twelve
points of the Scout Law, each one accompanied by the lighting of a
torch, the roll call of all those present in formation was
performed, and – according to old army tradition – the roll call of
the "faithful" was performed. This roll call includes fallen members
of the Organization and, from before its inception, those members of
the Russian scouting movement at large, starting with the Holy
Prince-Martyr Alexis. At the end of roll call, Fr. Serge performed a
Litiy for all departed scouts. After the ceremony, everyone
proceeded to the traditional solemn bonfire.
The
following morning, on the feast day of the Holy Royal Martyrs, the
scouts stood in formation before the chapel to greet Metropolitan
Hilarion. During the greeting of the First Hierarch, the scouts
threw flower petals in the path of their spiritual father (On May 1,
2010, at the request of Head Scoutmaster Alexey T. Zacharin,
Metropolitan Hilarion accepted the responsibility of Spiritual
Advisor to SGPA’s Chapters Outside Russia). Chapter Director
Scoutmaster Nicholas Pokrovsky greeted His Eminence with bread and
salt, followed by Fr. Serge, who thanked the Metropolitan for his
archpastoral visit. The First Hierarch celebrated the Divine
Liturgy, co-served by the above-mentioned clergy. About 100 scouts
and counselors communed from two chalices.
Upon completion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Hilarion presented
three longtime counselors of "Tsarskoe Selo" with diocesan gramotas
including the following text:
To Alexey T. Zacharin – Head Scoutmaster, SGPA
Neither
great distance nor Soviet persecution of the scouts hindered your
fervent love for Russia, scouting, and the youth, and you "Lit
bonfires across Russia," taking active part in the resurrection of
scouting in Russia, of a movement which has attracted countless
young people and saved them from the ruinous influence of the
street. With God’s help, today the scout movement in the homeland
thrives once more.
Despite many hardships, you have long and selflessly labored on
behalf of our Russian Orthodox youth. In 2009, you were elected to
the especially weighty post of Head Scoutmaster of SGPA. As the face
of the organization and all of the Russian scouts abroad, you serve
as an ideal example for all scouts – you fulfill the duties
entrusted to you with faith, loyalty, helping others, virtue, hard
work, a kind smile, and humility...
To Scoutmaster-Subdeacon Lazar Djurdjinovic
The courses you lead for troop leaders and camp counselors are truly
invaluable to the work of continuing the scout movement. You arm our
youth with the knowledge of those good qualities of leadership and
preparedness to battle evil.
Your work in camp includes not only educational work with children
and administrative paperwork, but also regular help at the camp
chapel of St. George the Great-Martyr. Thanks to your labors every
year, the chapel is always ready for the All-Night Vigil and Divine
Liturgy to be served, for the youth’s continued spiritual
nourishment...
To Scoutmaster-Subdeacon Vladimir Fedorov
For 60 years now you have labored at the camp, sharing your scouting
experiences and love for Russia and nature. As we sing in the anthem
for the Camp Counselor’s Course, "In this there is a higher calling,
and in this there is joy and honor. And our generation will give a
good report to History." You are a part of the generation that
returned Orthodox scouting to the homeland. With God’s help, today
the scout movement in Russia thrives once more. Russian youth, for
whom you expended all of your energy and strength, will forever
preserve the memory of your generation...
…
Highly prizing your lifelong contributions to the work of bringing
up our Russian Orthodox youth, we express our sincere gratitude to
you and call upon you God’s blessings. May the Lord God fortify and
strengthen you, by the prayers of our heavenly patron, St. George
the Great-Martyr and Victory-Bearer, and the holy New-Martyr Prince
Alexis, for many and good years.
After
breakfast, the raising of the flags was held on the parade grounds,
followed by the changing of the weekly counselors. Chapter Director
Scoutmaster Nicholas Pokrovsky thanked His Eminence for his
archpastoral visit and the spiritual instruction given to his
spiritual children.
Fr. Serge then served a panihida at the camp chapel for Archpriest
Vladimir Schatiloff on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the
latter’s blessed repose (July 16, 1986). For 15 years, Fr. Vladimir
faithfully and devotedly served as the "Tsarskoe Selo" Chapter’s
spiritual father. Praying at the panihida were Metropolitan
Hilarion, Anna V. Djurdjinovic – Fr. Vladimir’s daughter, relatives,
and friends. After the panihida, the First Hierarch bade the
counselors farewell, thanked them for the opportunity to visit the
camp, and departed for his Synodal residence in New York.
The ceremonies were covered by the Russian-American news network
RTVi.
Photographs:
Saturdaу, July 16th
Sunday, July 17th
Republication of materials must include a reference to:
"Eastern American Diocese www.eadiocese.org."
Media
Office of the Eastern American Diocese
