May 2, 2012 New York City: The
Fifteenth Anniversary of the Holy Myrrhbearers Women’s Choir
On April 29, the Sunday of the Holy
Myrrh-Bearing Women, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar
Bishop Jerome of Manhattan, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the
Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. His Grace was
co-served by cathedral clergy.
As has become an annual tradition, both the
All-Night Vigil on Saturday evening and the Divine Liturgy on Sunday
morning were sung by the diocesan Holy Myrrhbearers Women’s Choir,
which was marking its feast day. This year the choir members are
also celebrating their 15th anniversary. Conceived in 1997, the
Myrrhbearers are the only all-female choir in the Eastern American
Diocese. In
honor of this milestone, the diocesan Media Office has published a
short documentary on the life and
activity of the choir.
Upon completion of the Liturgy, Bishop
Jerome presented to two Gramotas from the First Hierarch of the
Church Abroad, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion. The first was to
the Choir’s founder, Matushka Eugenia Temidis, and read in part:
"Having been greatly inspired by your late
grandfather and mother, you continue in their footsteps, preserving
the pure values and traditions of Russian Orthodoxy in America.
Taking an example from the choir’s patron saints – the Holy
Myrrhbearers, you never cease to toil in the fear of God, often
working long hours behind the scenes, and always putting the needs
of others ahead of your own. Your love and dedication is admired and
cherished by all of the singers and faithful of the Eastern American
Diocese."
A second Gramota was presented to the
Myrrhbearers as a whole, in which His Eminence wrote:
"For the past fifteen years, since its
inception, your choir has adorned the divine services in our
churches, coming together and combining the beauty of your voices
for the glory of God. In so doing, you have provided a calling
within the Church that attracts women of all ages, and gives many of
them a greater role to play in the life of the Church than any other
pursuit might have done. And, like your heavenly patronesses, the
Holy Myrrhbearing Women, you have tended to the spiritual needs of
Christ’s Church with zeal and tenderhearted love."
After Liturgy, a festal luncheon was held
in the parish hall.
Videos of the All-Night Vigil and Divine
Liturgy are available to our readers below.
Republication of materials must include a reference to:
"Eastern American Diocesewww.eadiocese.org."
