Русская Версия

October 6, 2011
Wayne, WV: Metropolitan Hilarion and the Hawaiian Mother of God visited Christ the Savior Church

On Sunday evening, October 2, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, visited Christ the Savior Church in Wayne, WV. His Eminence served a moleben before the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, co-served by diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Archpriest John Dixon (rector of Holy Spirit Church in neighboring Huntington, WV), Priest Mark Elliott (rector of St. George’s Church in Huntington), rector Priest Jonah Campbell, and Deacon Jeremiah Davis (cleric of neighboring Holy Cross Monastery).

After the moleben, the First Hierarch addressed the worshipers with a sermon on the importance of honoring the Mother of God: "The Lord sends us wonderworking icons as a sign of His all-encompassing love for us sinners. The myrrh-streaming icon lying here before us is a great mercy of God. I am very glad to be visiting this parish once again, and to pray with you and the new rector, Fr. Jonah. In olden days, when a monastery was built, a multitude of parishes would appear in local villages for the spiritual nourishment of local believers. The Lord enabled you to build a parish in the same town as Holy Cross Monastery, which will serve as a firm foundation for your parish. Your task now is to build on that foundation and proliferate the Gospel of Christ. By the prayers and intercessions of the Most Holy Theotokos, I believe that the Lord will help this parish grow and flourish." During the veneration, Metropolitan Hilarion anointed all those present with holy myrrh from the wonderworking icon.

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