July 29, 2012
Jackson, NJ: Metropolitan Hilarion led the St. Vladimir’s Day
celebrations at St. Vladimir Memorial Church
In
accordance with old Diasporan tradition, the national celebration of
the memory of the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles St. Vladimir is held at
St. Vladimir Memorial Church
to the Millennium of the Baptism of Russia in Jackson, NJ, on the
last Sunday of July. This year, the St. Vladimir’s Day celebrations
were held on Saturday the 28th and Sunday the 29th of July.
Prior to the beginning of the All-Night Vigil, the clergy greeted a
wonderworking copy of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, which
travels annually from Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville and
remains for the celebrations. The Vigil was led by the First
Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion,
Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York. His Eminence was
co-served by His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop
George of Mayfield, Hieromonk Alexander (Frizzell; dean of Holy
Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV), Priest Seraphim Chemodakov (cleric of
the neighboring St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell), deputy
rector Priest Serge Ledkovsky, Protodeacon Vadim Gan (cleric of the
Mid-American Diocese), Deacon Leonid Roschko (cleric of the
neighboring St. George’s Church in Howell), Deacon Nathan Mousselli
(cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City),
Hierodeacon Panteleimon (Jigalin; cleric of the Australian Diocese),
Deacon Anatoly Revitskyy (cleric of the Church of our Lady "Joy of
All Who Sorrow" in Philadelphia, PA), and parish Deacons Alexander
Smida and Paul Drozdowski.
On
Sunday morning, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, celebrated the
Divine Liturgy, co-served by Bishop George and the above-mentioned
clergy, as well as Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov (Dean of ew Jersey
and rector of the nearby St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral), Archpriest
Liubo Milosevich (rector of Holy Trinity Church in Vineland, NJ),
Priest Eugene Solodky (cleric of St. Andrew’s Cathedral in
Philadelphia), and Priest Alexei Oulanov (cleric of the Holy Virgin
Intercession Church in Glen Cove, NY). The church was filled to
capacity with a multitude of worshippers, who came from all corners
of New York and New Jersey. During the Little Entrance, the parish’s
deputy rector, Priest Serge Ledkovsky, was awarded the kamilavka.
With the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, during the communion of
the clergy, Fr. Valery Lukianov delivered a sermon, in which he
called on everyone to transfigure their lives and live in accordance
with the great inheritance of Russian Orthodox Christians – heirs of
the Holy Great Prince Vladimir.
After the Liturgy, the traditional procession was held around the
church, and the lesser blessing of the waters outside in front of
the church. Upon completion of the service, the deacons proclaimed
the Polychronion to the hierarchs, parishioners, and all those
celebrating their namesdays.
After the kissing of the cross, the Russian folk festival began,
while a festal banquet proceeded in the parish hall.
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