October 19, 2016
Atlanta, GA: Second Day of Pastoral Conference concludes with All-Night Vigil

On Wednesday, October 19, the second day of the autumnal Pastoral Conference for clergy and matushkas of the Eastern American Diocese at St. Mary of Egypt Church in Atlanta, GA concluded with the serving of the All-Night Vigil.

That morning, conference participants were taken to Red Top Mountain State Park where, in the fresh air, they heard a talk by Archpriest Nikolai Artemoff (Diocese of Germany) on the works and legacy of the first First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside – His Beatitude, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky; +1936). Fr. Nikolai afforded special attention to explaining the much-discussed teaching of Metropolitan Anthony concerning the prayer of the Savior in Gethsemane.

After a lenten luncheon, Fr. Nikolai held a question-and-answer session, during which he expanded further on the themes of his talk.

Participants had an opportunity to relax and interact for an hour, and at 5:30 in the church, the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos was read before the Kursk Root and "Softener of Evil Hearts" icons, followed by the reading of the Prayer Rule for Holy Communion. After dinner, everyone gathered in the church once again, where the clergy served the All-Night Vigil. Everyone was able to confess their sins, in order to commune of Christ’s Holy Mysteries the following day at Liturgy.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese