November 18, 2014
Stratford, CT: Metropolitan Hilarion leads 85th Anniversary of St. Nicholas Church

On Sunday, November 2, 2014, the parish of St. Nicholas Church in Stratford, CT celebrated its 85th Jubilee. The festivities were led by His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad. His Eminence celebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, co-served by parish and visiting clergy. During the Little Entrance, for his many years of service to the Church, parish rector Archpriest George Lardas was awarded the jeweled cross.

Upon completion of the service, a festal banquet was held at Vazzy’s Four Seasons. During the banquet, Metropolitan Hilarion delivered a speech in honor of the parish’s anniversary. The St. Petersburg Men’s Ensemble performed a selection of Russian songs, and the Barynya Folk Dance Ensemble from New York performed traditional dances. In addition, the St. Nicholas Russian Folk Dance Group, comprised of children of the parish under the direction of Ms. Elena Reilly and Ms. Kelley Kendall, performed five dances, including the Berezka and Gopak. Parish vice president Gregory Romanovsky and iconographer Oleg Trofimenko also spoke about the interior refurbishment and iconography project that is beginning in the parish.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese