November 15, 2011
Newark, NJ: Bishop Jerome led the Patronal Feast Day of the Church
of Our Lady of Kazan
On
Friday, November 4, on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of
God, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Jerome of
Manhattan, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the
Church of Our Lady of Kazan in Newark, NJ. His Grace was
co-served by parish rector Archpriest Mark Burachek, Archpriest
Zoran Radovic (rector of St. George’s Serbian Church in Elizabeth,
NJ), Protodeacon Dimitri Temidis (cleric of Holy Virgin Protection
Church in Nyack, NY), Protodeacon Vasily Milonow (cleric of
Protection of the Holy Virgin Memorial Church in Ottawa, Canada),
and Deacon George Temidis (cleric of Nativity of the Mother of God
Church in Mahopac, NY).
Upon completion of the Liturgy, Bishop Jerome addressed the gathered
faithful with a sermon on the feast day, speaking on the importance
of the wonderworking Kazan Icon of the Mother of God for the Russian
people. "We know that many tragedies befell our Russia. But through
them all, the Queen of Heaven never forsook the Russian people. We
saw many Kazan churches destroyed during the terrible years of
atheist rule, but through the prayers of the Mother of God, these
churches have been restored. Today we need to restore not only these
churches, but our souls, as well. We do not have the strength to
spiritually resurrect ourselves, and all our hope is in the
all-encompassing love of the Most Holy Theotokos. She is prepared to
help us overcome all of our sins and offenses, asking only that we
return to her with warm tears of repentance. And if we will repent
of our sins alongside the Russian people, then Holy Russia will once
more become the ‘House of the Mother of God.’ Through the prayers of
the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, may the Lord help us
return to the true Christian path, laid out for us by the holy
saints of the Russian land."
After his sermon, His Grace presented Synodal gramotas to the parish
warden and head sister. A luncheon was then held in the parish hall.
Photos of the feast in Newark are available to our visitors below.
Republication of materials must include a reference to:
"Eastern American Diocese www.eadiocese.org."
Media
Office of the Eastern American Diocese
