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July 9, 2011
Lakewood, NJ: Metropolitan Hilarion led the Rite of Reconsecration of the Altar Table in the Church of Our Lady of Tikhvin

On Friday the 8th and Saturday the 9th of July, the patronal feast day of the Church of Our Lady of Tikhvin was celebrated in Lakewood, NJ. The church, formerly St. Alexander Nevsky Church, was founded in 1936 by the ever-memorable Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko). In 1994, upon completion of the newly constructed St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the church was renamed in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, and since that time parishioners have celebrated the patronal feast day on July 9.

This year, the feast was graced by an archpastoral visit from the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, who came to Lakewood to lead the festal services and the Rite of Reconsecration of the altar table. In 2010-2011, the parish carried out significant renovations to the altar of the historic Tikhvin Church. Before the start of Liturgy, Metropolitan Hilarion re-blessed the altar and the original altar table, at which St. John of Shanghai & San Francisco had served, and at which, in 1948, by the hands of Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko), Archbishop Tikhon (Troitsky), and Archbishop Seraphim (Ivanov), the hierarchal consecration of Archbishop Nikon (Rklitsky) was performed – on the very day of the Great Consecration.

At the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence was co-served by local clergy of the New Jersey Deanery.

A multitude of parishioners and faithful from neighboring parishes gathered for the feast, so that they might raise up their prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos. Also preserved in the church is a highly venerated copy of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, which once belonged to the Holy Empress-Martyr Alexandra. (The whole history of the icon can be found here.)

Upon completion of the Liturgy, the clergy served a moleben to the Most Holy Theotokos. At the end of the Liturgy, the First Hierarch greeted the rector and all of the parishioners on the momentous occasion of the re-blessing of their historic church. After the service, the parish sisterhood prepared a lenten luncheon in the parish hall. O Most Holy Theotokos, save us!


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