April 28, 2014
New York City: Bishop Jerome & Diocesan Secretary take part in Paschal Reception held by Russian Federation Consulate

On Tuesday of Bright Week, April 22, at the invitation of Russian Federation Consul General in New York City Igor L. Golubovsky and Mrs. Tatiana V. Golubovsky, His Grace, Bishop Jerome, and Eastern American Diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov took part in a Paschal reception organized by the Russian Federation General Consulate in New York. For several years, Paschal receptions have been traditionally held by the heads of Russia’s principal diplomatic mission in the General Consulate Headquarters in Manhattan. In light of renovations being carried out in the historic building, which at one time belonged to the Vanderbilts, Russia’s diplomatic mission will be holding all festal events at Russian restaurants until renovations are completed. This time, representatives of the clergy, diplomats, and representatives from the Russian Nobility Association and Russian cultural organizations were invited to the Ukrainian restaurant "Taras Bulba" in Lower Manhattan.

Also attending the reception were Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk (Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA), Bishop Sevastianos of Zela (Greek Archdiocese), Director of External Affairs of the Orthodox Church in America Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky, Archpriest Peter Totev (Bulgarian Diocese), Holy Trinity Seminary Archivist Archpriest Vladimir Tsurikov, representatives of the diplomatic corps of Russia, Serbia, and Cyprus, Russian Nobility Association President Dr. Cyril E. Geacintov, and Ataman Alexander Pewnew of the Kuban Cossack Voisko. The festal gathering began with a Paschal moleben and prayer, sung in the languages of the reception’s participants. In his opening greeting, Consul General Golubovsky congratulated all those in attendance with the feast of Pascha and, in part, noted the importance of the brotherly fellowship, collaboration, and close cultural ties between Orthodox nations, foremost between Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, which have existed for centuries. On behalf of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, currently paying an Archpastoral visit to the Diocese of Australia & New Zealand, Bishop Jerome congratulated those gathered with the radiant feast of Christ’s Resurrection and relayed warmest wishes from His Eminence and ROCOR hierarchs and clergy.

During the reception, Fr. Serge Lukianov held fruitful discussions with Archbishop Justinian, Bishop Sevastianos, various members of the clergy, and representatives of the several cultural and social organizations present.

Earlier that day, Fr. Serge had accompanied to New York City the myrrh-streaming Icon of the Mother of God "Softener of Evil Hearts," which over the past month has completed a pilgrimage to the parishes and monasteries of the Eastern American Diocese. In the Church of our Lady "Unexpected Joy" on Staten Island, NY, the diocesan secretary celebrated the Paschal Divine Liturgy, followed by discussions on the next potential visit of the myrrh-streaming image to the Eastern American Diocese. The Icon then departed for Moscow.

 

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Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese