August 26, 2013
Franklin, NY: Metropolitan Hilarion visited Holy Trinity Chapel & St. Innocent of Irkutsk Spiritual Center

On Saturday, August 24, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York visited Holy Trinty Chapel in the village of Franklin, NY, where he celebrated the Divine Liturgy. He was co-served by chapel rector Priest Michael Vladimirov. Despite the chapel’s limited floor space, Russian Orthodox Christians gathered from across New York and New Jersey, as well as faithful from neighboring towns of many nationalities: Greeks, Americans, Argentinians, and one Cuban. For the most part, these are parishioners of St. Innocent of Irkutsk Spiritual Center, currently in the process of being founded. The choir singing at the divine services was led by Mark Grebenka.

Metropolitan Hilarion congratulated Fr. Michael and informed the faithful that Holy Trinity Chapel is now a part of the Eastern American Diocese.

The church is located in picturesque Upstate New York, three hours’ ride from the City and close to Jordanville. The wooden church was consecrated in 2011. In Fr. Michael’s words, the church and spiritual center were built in order to distract city dwellers from the everyday hustle and bustle, in order "for them to find a horologion or octoechos in their hands, rather than an iPad or iPhone. So that instead of just being present in church during the divine services, they might take an active part in them – reading the hours, the Six Psalms, or the canon at Matins."

Upon completion of the divine service, the clergy and faithful went to the center’s building for lunch, which was prepared "around the world" – almost everyone brought some lenten dish from their home country. At lunch, Metropolitan Hilarion led a warm discussion with the faithful.

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"Eastern American Diocese www.eadiocese.org."

Tatiana Veselkina
Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese