August 2, 2013
A Joint Press Release from the Administrations of the Eastern
American Diocese and the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA
On
Thursday, August 1, a meeting was held at Holy Dormition Convent
Novo-Diveevo in Nanuet, NY, dedicated to a review of the 1025th
anniversary celebrations of the Baptism of Rus’ and a discussion
regarding the organization of events in 2014 dedicated to the 700th
anniversary of the birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The meeting was
led by the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of
Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, and the
Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Archbishop
Justinian of Naro-Fominsk. Also taking part in the discussions were
clerics and representatives of the respective media offices of the
Eastern American Diocese and the Patriarchal Parishes.
Meeting participants reviewed the celebrations of the 1025th
anniversary of the Baptism of Rus’ at St. Vladimir Memorial Church
in Jackson, NJ on July 23-28th of this year. Overall, the Hierarchs
offered high praise and expressed their thanks to the organizers of
such a large-scale event. It’s success showed once more the
effectiveness of teamwork within the administration of the Eastern
American Diocese in the organization of such diasporan and
church-wide affairs. Metropolitan Hilarion and Archbishop Justinian
recommended that all clerics and parish councils take into account
the results achieved by the Diocese.
Meeting participants likewise discussed plans relating to the
organization of divine services and church events in 2014, which
will mark the celebration of the 700th anniversary of the birth of
St. Sergius of Radonezh. Archbishop Justinian proposed several
potential projects, prepared by his office, to those gathered, and
said, "Saint Sergius is an indisputable authority in Russian
history. He was not only a Orthodox saint, but an active figure in
the uniting of the Russian lands and the establishment of the
Russian state, as well. The labors undertaken by the Venerable saint
at Makovets Hill are not only a remarkable event in the deeply
religious life of Rus’, but provided the initial spark in the
development of missionary work in Russia’s northernmost reaches,
helped lead to the development of education and social awareness,
and made a significant impact not only on the political life of
Ancient Rus’, but on the development of Russian culture as a whole.
It is for this reason that holding events in honor of the holy saint
in the USA offer an opportunity to address Russian culture as a
whole, its origins and roots."
Meeting participants reached an agreement on collaborative efforts
in organizing and carrying out these memorial events in America in
2014. When discussion of proposals and plans drew to a close, a
resolution was adopted to begin consultative work between the
leadership of ROCOR’s diocese in the USA and the Patriarchal
Parishes in the USA, inviting them to collaborate on the outlined
course further. The two sides likewise agreed to jointly propose
participation in the jubilee celebrations to the diplomatic missions
of the Russian Federation in the USA, as well as social and cultural
organizations, so that the celebration of the 700th anniversary of
the birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh might become a unifying event
in the life of the Russian Diaspora in America, and provide an
opportunity for people of various nationalities and backgrounds to
come face-to-face with the spiritual legacy of one of great saints
of the Russian land.
Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese
