September 26, 2013
Sea Cliff, NY: Celebrating its 60th Anniversary, St. Seraphim Parish Memorializes Patriarch Alexey II and Metropolitan Laurus

On Sunday, September 15, on the threshold of the 60th anniversary celebrations of St. Seraphim Church in Sea Cliff, NY, upon conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a memorial plaque dedicated to the memory of His Holiness, Patriarch Alexey II, and Metropolitan Laurus was blessed. The plaque likewise marks the special status of the church, which in 2012 became the Memorial Church to the Re-Establishment of Unity within the Russian Orthodox Church. After the ceremony, the parish sisterhood offered a traditional shish-kabob luncheon, organized by Elizabeth Miheyev, to participants of the feast.

With the blessing of His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, parish rector Archpriest Serafim Gan and the parish council and sisterhood announce the celebration of the parish’s 60th anniversary, to be held on Saturday October 12, the 20th anniversary of the uncovering of the incorrupt relics of the Holy Hierarch and Wonderworker John of Shanghai & San Francisco.

In announcing this good work, Fr. Serafim invites all parishioners, relatives, and friends to fervent prayer at Divine Liturgy on that chosen and holy day, when the images of the re-establishment of unity within the Russian Orthodox Church and the historic path of the Russian Church Abroad, frescoed throughout the church, will be consecrated. The greeting of Metropolitan Hilarion – who will celebrate the Divine Liturgy here along with clergymen visiting from neighboring parishes and abroad – will take place at 9:30 AM.

After the services, a reception will be held at the Swan Club. In addition to speeches made by the First Hierarch, Fr. Serafim, Alexei Slobodskoy, and others, a short performance by the parish choir is scheduled, and awards will be given to those who helped in the endeavor. Tickets are $65 for adults, $45 for children. For further information, please contact: emmiheyev@gmail.com or shohov@aol.com.

In honor of the historic date, the parish of the Memorial Church to the Re-Establishment of Unity within the Russian Orthodox Church will publish an anniversary album dedicated to the history of St. Seraphim Parish and the Russian presence in Sea Cliff, as well as a video with rare footage of St. John of Shanghai, Metropolitan Anastassy (Gribanovsky, +1966), Archbishop Averky (Taushev, +1976), Hierodeacon Laurus (Skurla), future First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Bishop Mitrophan (Znosko-Borovsky, +2002), and other eminent figures of the Russian Diaspora.

 

Official website of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws