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July 10, 2011
Mayfield, PA: Metropolitan Hilarion led the patronal feast day of St. John the Baptist Cathedral

On Wednesday the 6th and Thursday the 7th of July, on the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, led the patronal feast day of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Mayfield, PA. Having undertaken a pilgrimage to California for the feast of St. John of San Francisco, His Grace, cathedral rector Bishop George of Mayfield, was unable to take part in the feast day, but sent his archpastoral blessing and greetings to the clergy and parishioners of the cathedral.

On Wednesday evening, Metropolitan Hilarion led the All-Night Vigil in the cathedral, and on Thursday, the First Hierarch celebrated the festal Liturgy, co-served by a multitude of local clergy of the Pennsylvania Deanery and clerics of the Orthodox Church in America, in the presence of a great gathering of the faithful from Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. During the Small Entrance, cathedral cleric Protodeacon Gregory Petrochko was awarded the right to wear the kamilavka for his dedicated 20-year service to Christ’s Holy Church.

The divine services proceeded in an especially triumphal and prayerful atmosphere thanks to the cathedral choir, which sang the service in Slavonic and English, under the direction of Gary Paul Brzuchalski. Upon completion of the Liturgy, a procession was held around the church, followed by a litiya for the repose of the cathedral’s founders and parishioners.

The feast concluded with a bountiful luncheon prepared for guests in the parish center.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese