July 25, 2013
Woodbourne, NY: Patronal Feast Day in Camp NORR
On
the feast day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, July 11-12, His
Eminence Gabriel, Archbishop of Montreal and Canada, visited the
Russian Orthodox children’s camp NORR (Association of Russian
Explorers Outside of Russia) in the Catskill Mountains in New York
State, where over 100 young people (campers and junior leadership)
and approximately another forty instructors and staff are residing.
This year, there were so many requests for applications that it was
impossible to accommodate everyone, and registration had to be
closed in the first days of May.
Archbishop Gabriel led the All-Night Vigil in the
camp’s chapel,
consecrated in honor of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
Concelebrating were the camp’s spiritual father Archpriest
Constantine Semyanko (cleric of Holy Presentation Church in
Stratford, CT) and Priest Alexandre Antchoutine (rector of Holy
Virgin Intercession Church in Glen Cove, NY), with Deacon George
Temidis (cleric of the Nativity of the Mother of God Church at the
New Kursk Root Hermitage in Mahopac, NY). Thursday evening, His
Eminence held a lively discussion with the youth, which lasted for
over an hour behind closed doors.
At the festal Liturgy, Archbishop Gabriel was co-served by the
above-mentioned clergy and Archpriest Victor Tseshkovsky (rector of
the Nativity of the Mother of God Church). Almost all the campers,
the leadership, and many guests partook of the Holy Mysteries. After
lunch, Camp Program Director Andrei Mouravieff thanked His Eminence
for finding the time to come to NORR and to spend these days in our
"field conditions."
On
Saturday, July 13, the camp was fortunate to be visited by the
wonderworking Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign."
The clergy and senior "explorers" started a cross procession with
the holy Icon around the territory, including the tents and
bungalows. Along the way, the procession attracted more and more
people and, by the end, the entire camp was walking behind the holy
Icon. The guardian of the Icon, Priest Nicholas Olhovsky, brought
copies of the Kursk Root Icon for every camper. After vigil, camp
held the traditional twilight ceremony at which departed members of
the camp family were commemorated, and a memorial roll call for camp
founders and leaders was enunciated. Following the ceremony, a
somber campfire was held with song and stories of a historic,
patriotic, and heroic character. In his talk, Senior Instructor Fr.
George Temidis, explained the meaning of "laying down one’s life for
his neighbor" – how this occurs in times of war, and how it occurs
in our contemporary world – using the examples of Archpriest Alexey
Ohotin and Basil Joukov, and how they "laid down their lives for
their neighbors" by devoting their lives to care, love, and service.
After the campfire, the wonderworking Icon left camp.
Camp NORR has been operating in New York State since 1967, when
Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy and Basil Joukov worked together to
continue the tradition of upbringing children and youth in the
Russian spirit and Orthodox tradition. Two years ago, after a
lengthy illness, Basil Joukov passed away, and this winter, the camp
lost its longtime spiritual father, Archpriest Alexey Ohotin. May
their memory be eternal! Metropolitan Hilarion tasked Fr.
Constantine Semyanko to provide spiritual guidance to the camp. This
year, NORR held its 47th annual camp in the Catskill Mountains.
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