November 6, 2014
Utica, NY: Anniversary Celebrations held at St. John of Kronstadt
Memorial Church
On
Saturday, November 1, celebrations in honor of the 50th anniversary
of the glorification of Righteous John of Kronstadt were held at
St.
John of Kronstadt Memorial Church in Utica, NY. Also celebrated
was the 60th anniversary of the founding of a Memorial Fund in the
saint’s name, which was originally organized to aid in the church’s
construction. At the outset, a two-story church was proposed: the
lower floor would be dedicated to the Kronstadt elder’s patron
saint, Venerable John of Ryla, while the upper floor would be
dedicated to St. John of Kronstadt, with the altar dedicated to the
Holy Hierarch Nicholas the Wonderworker. But ultimately, only a
single-story church was built, which nevertheless became a monument
to the saint and a holy undertaking for its many parishioners.
The festal Divine Liturgy was led by His Eminence Hilarion,
Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the
Russian Church Abroad. Concelebrating was His Grace, Eastern
American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, secretary of
the St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Fund, who – owing to the absence
of its president, Bishop Peter of Cleveland – spoke about the Fund’s
history and work. The bishops were co-served by Archimandrite Luke
(Murianka; abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY),
Archpriest David Hritcko (rector of St. Basil’s Church in Simpson,
PA), Archpriest George Kallaur (rector of "Unexpected Joy" Church on
Staten Island, NY), memorial church rector Archpriest Michael
Taratuchin, Priest Nikolai Meyer (rector of St. George’s
Antiochian Church in New Hartford, NY), Priest Kevin Kalish (rector
of Holy New Martyrs & Confessors of Russia Church in Norwich, CT),
Hieromonk Anatoly (Zilin; cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery), parish
Protodeacon Joseph Jarostchuk, Protodeacon Alexander Jarostchuk
(cleric of Holy Epiphany Church in Boston, MA), Protodeacon Eugene
Kallaur (cleric of St. Seraphim Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY),
parish Deacon Nicholas Kolasz, and Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin;
cleric of the Australian Diocese).
The Liturgy was celebrated under the aegis of the Protectress of the
Russian Diaspora – the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother
of God; also displayed in church were the holy icons of St. John of
Kronstadt and his Heavenly patron, Ven. John
of
Ryla.
The divine services were adorned by the singing of a combined
parish, seminary, and youth choir. At the Little Entrance, in honor
of the 25th anniversary of his diaconal ordination and for his
dedicated service to the Holy Church, parish rector Archpriest
Michael Taratuchin was awarded the jeweled cross.
Metropolitan Hilarion addressed the faithful with a sermon, in which
he spoke about St. John, the anniversary of whose glorification was
being celebrated that day. The clergy, parishioners, and guests then
performed a procession around the church, offering hymns to the Most
Holy Theotokos and Saints John of Kronstadt and John of Ryla; the
Polychronion was intoned for the bishops and rector.
Protodeacon Joseph Jarostchuk, treasurer of the St. John of
Kronstadt Memorial Fund, spoke in detail about the church’s history,
gathering funds for its construction, and its adornment and
frescoing. After a greeting from Fr. George Kallaur, who had grown
up in that church, the clergy and guests of the feast continued
their interaction at a festal luncheon.
Media Office of the Eastern
American Diocese
