Русская Версия

April 12, 2010
New York: Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk and Bishop Jerome of Manhattan concelebrated on Bright Saturday

On Bright Saturday, April 10, 2010, the Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA, His Eminence, Justinian, Archbishop of Naro-Fominsk, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York. His Eminence was co-served by His Grace Jerome, Bishop of Manhattan, a multitude of clergy from the Moscow Patriarchate, as well as clerics from ROCOR's Synodal Cathedral. Upon completion of the Liturgy, in accordance with Pascha tradition, a great procession through the streets of New York took place. After the procession, Archbishop Justinian addressed worshipers with the following sermon:

Christ is Risen! My dear ones, during these days of Paschal joy we recall how Christ’s disciples Luke and Cleopas, after the events of the Crucifixion and burial in the tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ, departed from Jerusalem simultaneously full of hope and great doubt as a result of what had transpired. And here, coming down the road, a certain fellow traveler approached them, and at first they did not understand who was walking with them. The Lord made it so that for a moment their eyes might be closed. That is, they could see with their physical eyes, but their spirits could not tell that their fellow traveler was Christ the Savior. And so, they continued on the road, sharing the story of what had occurred, of how much sorrow they felt in their hearts! They had put so much hope into their Teacher, Jesus Christ, they honored Him as the long-awaited Messiah, but these hopes were dashed. Instead of His bring enthroned in glory, He was crucified and buried, and their hearts were troubled...

And then the Lord halts their sad talk and begins to remind them of all the prophesies, which attested to the fact that, Yes! Crucifixion and death await Christ, but Christ will rise, as well! And He explains to them that this had to take place. And then the apostles, being relieved by these words, begin joyously calling their Fellow Traveler: Do not leave us, come and break bread with us! And during the meal the Lord breaks and blesses the bread, and at that moment their eyes are opened, and they see that it is Him, their Messiah, the long-awaited Savior Christ! It is He, truly Risen from the dead, together with them!

And at that moment the Lord leaves them, and they, having had their faith in Christ’s Resurrection confirmed, in joy, in elation, in celebration, could no longer continue their travels, as they had planned to do. They, despite the fact that the day was waning and they were tired, once more hurried to return to Jerusalem, and found the disciples gathered there, some of whom also said: Christ the Risen Savior appeared unto us, as well! and others came at that time, bearing witness: And we saw the Risen Lord! And then Luke and Cleopas said, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way? That is, sometimes the heart whispers more to man than his rational thought. I reckon we will sooner feel God with our hearts, than with cold human logic. "Did not our heart burn within us?" asked Luke and Cleopas.

And so I am sure, my dear co-brothers in the Lord coming from the Patriarchal parishes, and our co-brothers and guests who prayed with us today during the Divine Liturgy, I am sure that in your parishes, in your hearts, you are certain of Christ’s Resurrection. Your hearts are filled with joy, and this joy caused you, as it did Luke and Cleopas to return to Jerusalem, for your part to come from the Patriarchal parishes to this Little Jerusalem, to our Cathedral of St. Nicholas, in order to share this Paschal joy with me, your newly appointed hierarch, and with Bishop Jerome. And from one another, as a candle from a candle, we burn brighter and then we truly feel with one heart, truly experience this great joy together. My dears, the event of Christ’s Resurrection is historical fact, but it is important that we understand the event of Christ’s Resurrection in our heart, experiencing it in our soul, because, you understand, the Gospel also describes Christ’s Resurrection, but here the Book lies shut, and it truly speaks of Christ’s Resurrection, but if we will not open that Book, will not read it, will not experience what is written therein in our hearts, then it is just a book, and all that is good and beneficial therein will remain within it. Christ is Risen, yes! This is a fact, one which no one can ever negate. But it is important for us to understand and experience for ourselves that it was for me, for me that Christ came into this world, was crucified, buried, and gloriously arose again, that an event from the distant past might repeat in Christians’ hearts in all days, and we might truly continue Christ’s work here on earth and be crucified alongside Him, and be spiritually resurrected. And I, dear Vladyka, dear in the Lord fathers and brothers, I greet you with all with this victorious proclamation, a truly joyous proclamation that affirms life and bears witness that the event of Christ’s Resurrection is not something far-removed from us, something that happened once upon a time. The event of Christ’s Resurrection is our personal inheritance, no one, no enemy, will ever take it from our souls. Christ is Risen!

In his response, Bishop Jerome said:

“After the wonderful words of Vladyka Justinian, there is little more left to say, for truly, "Did not our heart burn within us?" (Luke 24:32). But last year, on this very feast day, one pious woman, the matushka of one the priests, told me that when she was taking part in the procession through the streets, she felt as though the whole world was Orthodox. By the way, she was not mistaken: we know, brothers and sisters, that the whole world truly is Orthodox; it is just that some of those around us have yet to realize this fact. But as we sang today, "The Lord is my light and my Savior; whom then shall I fear?" And as we are with the Resurrected Lord, we have nothing to fear in this world or in the next. Christ is Risen!”

On behalf of the Patriarchal parish clergy, Archpriest George Konyev greeted Archbishop Justinian, saying:

Dear Vladyka, on behalf of all those present here and on behalf of the parishioners of the Patriarchal parishes in the United States of America, we greet you here on American soil. We pray that the Lord grant you His help, that you might always rule in kindness, in fortitude, and in understanding. For our part we will always work alongside you, in general matters, in the work of restoring the Russian Orthodox Church, and in the work of restoring a true Christian spirit in this American land. May the Lord preserve you, dear Vladyka, as well as us, for many prosperous years! Christ is Risen!

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese