December
10, 2009
New
York, NY: The Patronal Feast Day of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign
On
Thursday, December 10, on the feast of the Icon of the Mother of God
"of the Sign," the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign celebrated
its patronal feast day in the presence of the Kursk Root Icon of the
Mother of God. The Divine Liturgy was led by His Grace, Bishop Gabriel
of Montreal and Canada, co-served by Their Graces, Bishops Peter of
Cleveland and Jerome of Manhattan, and a multitude
of clergy,
in the presence of a great number of the faithful. The festal singing
of the Synodal Bishops' Choir, under the direction of P.A. Fekula,
helped promote a prayerful, festive mood among the clergy and all
present. After the historical return of the Kursk icon to
Russia, the faithful came with significantly renewed reverence to
venerate the principal holy icon of the Russian Church Abroad over the
course of the liturgy. Bishop Gabriel delivered a sermon on the topic
of the feast and the history of the sacred icon, after which a moleben
was sung.
After
the moleben, the First Hierarch's secretary, Archpriest Serafim Gan,
read aloud a greeting of the cathedral's rector, His Eminence,
Metropolitan Hilarion, to all those who gathered for the feast.
Synodal Protodeacon Nicholas Mokhoff proclaimed congratulations to the
First Hierarch on behalf of Bishops Gabriel, Peter, and Jerome, and
all the gathered faithful, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of
the hierarchal ordination of His Eminence. Bishop Gabriel awarded S.B.
Yakushin a Benediction Gramota on behalf of Metropolitan Hilarion, on
account of his many years of sincere labors at the Synodal Cathedral.
Bishop Jerome was also congratulated, on the occasion of the first
anniversary of his hierarchal ordination. Following this, the
Polychronion was sung for those mentioned above.
In
the Synodal hall, a bountiful luncheon was offered by the sisterhood,
during which festal speeches and words of well-wishing were exchanged.
At the luncheon, Bishop Gabriel offered the Synodal Cathedral a gift
from the Canadian Diocese: a beautiful new case for the icon inlaid
with pearls. After the luncheon, the Kursk Root Icon left the Synod
for the diocesan center to begin its journey
to the parishes of our diocese.
Media
Office of the Eastern American Diocese
