September 20, 2012
Special Liturgical Vessels will be used at the Liturgy on the Fifth Anniversary of the Reunification

Special liturgical vessels will be used at the triumphal Liturgy at the official diocesan celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Reunification of the Russian Church, to be held on Saturday, October 13 in Three Saints Patriarchal Church in Garfield, NJ. This set of holy vessels and chalice covers was presented to Metropolitan Laurus on the day of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion on May 17, 2007, by His Holiness, Patriarch Alexey II.

Upon completion of the first joint Liturgy between clerics of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Church Abroad, His Holiness, Patriarch Alexey, greeted Metropolitan Laurus and all those present with the following words: "We have triumphally pronounced the unity of our Church, and have fully realized said unity, with one mouth and one heart having glorified and hymned God’s most honorable and majestic name, and together having partaken of the one True Food – the Holy Eucharist."

Since that time, the vessels are kept at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, where they are used on special feast days. With the blessing of the Abbot, Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), this set will be brought to Garfield for the Divine Liturgy in Three Saints Church.

Memory eternal to His Holiness, Patriarch Alexey, and His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus!

Photos: www.patriarchia.ru

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese