November 3, 2012
South Carolina: 17th annual joint Divine Liturgy at Cheraw State
Park
On
Saturday the 20th and Sunday the 21st of October, the Sunday of the
Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, the 17th annual
joint Divine Liturgy and picnic of parishes of the Russian Church
Abroad in North and South Carolina took place under beautiful skies
at Cheraw State Park. This year, for the first time, diocesan
secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov took part, and celebrated the
Divine Liturgy. He was concelebrated by Archpriest Anastasy Yatrelis
(rector of Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church in Summerville, SC),
Archpriest Onouphry Keith (rector of Saint Nicholas Church in
Fletcher, NC), Archpriest Mark Mancuso (rector of St. Elizabeth the
New-Martyr Church in Columbia, SC), Archpriest Alexander Logunov
(rector of the Reigning Mother of God Church in Charlotte, NC), and
Hieromonk Gabriel (Kvasnikov; rector of Holy Trinity Church in
Mebane, NC).
A joint choir of the five parishes sang the service in Church
Slavonic, English, and Greek. In his homily, Fr. Anastasy outlined
the Christian goal of piety and chastity, as we are all icons –
images of our Lord Jesus Christ. On behalf of His Eminence,
Metropolitan Hilarion, Fr. Serge greeted all those present, praised
their joint prayer, and expressed the First Hierarch’s support for
similar concelebrations across the Diocese. Following the Liturgy,
parishioners of the five parishes enjoyed a picnic, fellowship, and
sailing on the beautiful lake.
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