July 21, 2010
Northville, NY: SGPA’s "Day of Remembrance of the Fallen
Faithful"
On Friday, July 16,
the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora, the Kursk Root Icon of the
Mother of God, arrived in the summer scout camp of St. George
Pathfinders of America (SGPA), "Tsarskoe
Selo" Chapter
(Northville, NY). That evening, the camp’s spiritual father,
Archpriest Serge Lukianov, led a discussion on the history of the Icon
and on the historic return of the Icon to Moscow and Kursk in 2009,
after which he confessed all of the scouts before the Holy Icon.
The following day,
the Chapter marked the "Day of Remembrance of the Fallen
Faithful" (Russian: DPV). The First Hierarch of ROCOR, His
Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, led
the All-Night Vigil, co-served by Fr. Serge, Protodeacon Nicholas
Lukianov (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Lakewood, NJ),
and Deacon Nicholas Olhovsky (cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery.
After the Vigil and
dinner, the DPV ceremony continued as planned on the main camp field,
despite a light rain. At the invitation of SGPA’s Head Scoutmaster
Alexey Zacharin, two honored guests were in attendance at the
ceremony: Scoutmaster Sergey Nosenko, President of the Southern
Russian Division of the Organization, and his spouse, Staff-Instructor
Irina Nosenko.
On the camp’s
parade grounds, the Kursk Icon was placed on an analogion in the
middle of the formation. The ceremony began with the greeting of the
Head Scoutmaster by Chapter Director Tatiana Zacharin-Geringer,
followed by the presentation of the color guard, which included the
chapter’s standard, flanked by the American and Russian flags. After
the recitation of the twelve points of the Scout Law, each one
accompanied by the lighting of a torch, the roll call of all those
present in formation was performed, and – according to old army
tradition – the roll call of the "faithful" was performed.
This roll call includes fallen members of the Organization and, from
before its inception, those members of the Russian scouting movement
at large, starting with the Holy Prince-Martyr Alexis. At the end of
roll call, Fr. Serge performed a Litiy for all departed scouts. After
the ceremony, everyone proceeded to the traditional solemn bonfire.
The following
morning, on the feast day of St. Sergius of Radonezh and the Holy
Nun-Martyrs Elizabeth and Barbara, the scouts stood in formation
before the chapel to greet Metropolitan Hilarion, who was performing
his first visit to "Tsarskoe Selo" in 25 years. His Eminence
celebrated the Divine Liturgy, co-served by the above-mentioned
clergy. A multitude of scouts and counselors communed from two
chalices. Upon completion of the service, a citation by the President
of the Synod of Bishops was proclaimed to Scoutmaster Tatiana
Zacharin-Geringer, thanking her for ten years of service to the
Organization, "sowing the seed of love in these boys and girls
not only for their Russianness, often forgotten by many in Russian
children living outside the confines of their homeland, but also for
their salvific Orthodox faith." The Metropolitan then presented
the Chapter with a same-size copy of the Kursk Root Icon in honor of
the visit of the wonder-working image to the camp. His Eminence then
gave all those present his blessing in the form of small copies of the
Kursk Mother of God.
After breakfast,
the raising of the flags was held on the parade grounds, followed by
the changing of the weekly counselors. Chapter Director Tatiana
Zacharin-Geringer officially relinquished her post as director; she
has also served as President of the Eastern American Division since
the beginning of the year. Elected to the post of Chapter Director was
Scoutmaster Nicholas Pokrovsky. The new director kneeled before the
wonder-working icon, and then addressed Metropolitan Hilarion, asking
His Eminence’s blessing in his upcoming labors "fulfilling his
duty before God and country."
