November 19, 2011
Passaic, NJ: The Patronal Feast Day of Sts. Cosmas & Damian Church

On Sunday, November 13, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Jerome of Manhattan, performed an archpastoral visit to Passaic, NJ, and celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Sts. Cosmas & Damian Church. Bishop Jerome’s visit was in honor of the feast day of Sts. Cosmas and Damian the following day, November 14. His Grace was co-served by parish rector Priest Dmitri Don, Protodeacon Dimitri Temidis (cleric of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY), parish Deacon Vladimir Oliynyk, and Deacon Nathan Mousselli (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City).

Upon completion of the Liturgy, Bishop Jerome addressed the faithful with a sermon on the epistle reading. "‘Brethren, see with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand’ (Gal. 6:11). ‘Large,’ in this context, does not necessary refer to length alone, but refers also to the fact that these letters are great in content, yet occupy little of the reader’s time. Such is the Liturgy: great in content, and bestowing of great grace, yet for the little effort and relatively little time we spend every Sunday in church. That is why we must come every time we have the opportunity, never failing to remain until the end of the service. In this way, in exchange for very little effort, we receive great comfort and fortification that will last us the remainder of the week."

After the sermon, His Grace blessed the new windows installed in the newly renovated church, and then greeted the rector and parishioners on the day of Resurrection and the forthcoming patronal feast day.

On Monday morning, the feast day of Sts. Cosmas & Damian, local New Jersey clergy gathered for the Liturgy in Passaic. Diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov celebrated the Liturgy, co-served by Archpriest Mark Burachek (rector of Our Lady of Kazan Church in Newark), Archpriest George Zelenin (rector of St. Michael’s Church in Paterson), Priest Ilya Gun, Priest Boris Slootsky (rector of the Church of the Mother of God, "Joy of All the Sorrowful," in Mays Landing – OCA), Priest Stephen Kaznica (rector of Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Passaic – MP), Priest Seraphim Chemodakov (cleric of the Australian Diocese), and the rector.

Upon completion of the Liturgy, the clergy served a short moleben before the icon of Sts. Cosmas & Damian. On behalf of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, Fr. Serge greeted and congratulated the rector and parishioners. Fr. Dmitri then expressed his sincere gratitude to those who came to concelebrate the services and share in the feast. The parish sisterhood once more held a wonderful luncheon, during the course of which many well-wishes and congratulations were pronounced.

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