December 28, 2012
Hartford, CT: St. Herman’s Youth Conference was held at St. Panteleimon’s Church

On December 23-27, the annual St. Herman’s Youth Conference was held in St. Panteleimon’s Church in Hartford, CT. Young people from the Eastern American Diocese and Canada gathered for several days of lectures, services, and social activities that were aimed at uniting the youth under the auspices of the Church.

The main events of the conference were the divine services on Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th of December, the feast of St. Herman of Alaska. The services were led by His Eminence Gabriel, Archbishop of Montreal and Canada, and sung by the youth themselves. His Eminence was co-served by diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Archpriest David Straut (rector of St. Elizabeth the New-Martyr Church in Rocky Hill, NJ), Archpriest George Lagodich (cleric of the Canadian Diocese), Archpriest Alexis Duncan (rector of the Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Albany, NY), Archpriest Yaroslav Belikow (rector of St. John the Wonderworker Church in Framingham, MA), parish rector Archpriest Dionisy Nalitov, Archpriest Brendan Crowley (rector of St. Nicholas Church in Springfield, MA), Priest Stelian Liabotis (cleric of the Canadian Diocese), Priest Viatcheslav Davidenko (cleric of the Canadian Diocese), Priest Constantine Semyanko (cleric of Presentation Church in Stratford, CT), and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky (cleric of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY).

Upon completion of the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Serge Lukianov read aloud a greeting from the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, to Archbishop Gabriel (chairman of the St. Herman’s Executive Committee) and all the participants of the conference:

To His Eminence, Archbishop GABRIEL,
Members of St. Herman Executive Committee, and all Volunteers and Participants
of the 2012 Eastern St. Herman’s Conference in Hartford, CT

"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow Me."
- Matthew 16:24

Your Eminence, distinguished members of the St. Herman Executive committee, dear in the Lord brothers and sisters,

From faraway Australia I greet you, the participants of the 2012 Eastern St. Herman’s Conference. It is heartening to know that so many young people have given of their free time, taking up their cross to join together with one another under the auspices of the Holy Church and become better acquainted with the precepts of our Faith, building bonds of friendship in Christ that will stand the test of time.

You have heard it said many times before, but perhaps you have not yet internalized it – you are the future of our Church. With God’s help, we hope that many of you will become priests, deacons, matushkas, choir directors, parish school teachers and, God-willing, even monastics. But even if you are not called to such posts, you will still bear the weighty calling of Orthodox spouses, who in the abiding love of Christ must live the Orthodox Faith, recreating the Church in your own homes and bequeathing that Faith to your own children, and to the whole world. St. Herman’s Conference is a good beginning, a sure foundation on which to ground your lives as young Orthodox Christians. Take full advantage of all that it has to offer.

I bestow upon you my Archpastoral blessing, and wish you all a spiritually rejuvenating remainder of the Nativity Fast, as we go forward together to greet our newborn Savior.

With love in Christ,

+HILARION
Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York
First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

 

Photos by Matushka Larissa Belikow and Nikolai Roschko

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese