September 28, 2012
Albany, NY: Bishop Jerome led the 50th Anniversary and Retirement of
Archpriest Wsewolod Drobot
On
Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd of September, the weekend
following the great feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, His
Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Jerome of Manhattan
paid an archpastoral visit to
Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Albany, NY, to lead the
50th anniversary celebrations and retirement of parish rector
Archpriest Wsewolod Drobot, as well as the welcoming of the new
rector, Archpriest Alexis Duncan.
The All-Night Vigil on Saturday night was well-attended, sung by a
strong male choir under the direction of Alexander Cooley. His Grace
led the service, co-served by Fr. Alexis Duncan, Archpriest Michael
Fritz (parish cleric), Archpriest Brendan Crowley (rector of St.
Nicholas Church in Springfield, MA), Priest Gregory-Francis
Desmarais (rector of St. George’s Antiochian Church in Albany),
Priest Theodore Jurewicz (cleric of Holy Nativity Church in Erie,
PA), Priest Andrei Rudenko (parish cleric), Protodeacon Joseph
Jarostchuk (cleric of St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Church in
Utica, NY), Protodeacon Paul Wolkow (cleric of St. Seraphim of Sarov
Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY), and Protodeacon Michael Soloviev
(parish cleric). Upon completion of the Vigil, a dinner was served
in the parish hall.
The following morning, the services began with the greeting of the
bishop at the parish hall, from whence the clergy processed to the
church, singing the troparion of the Nativity of the Mother of God.
Bishop Jerome celebrated the Divine Liturgy, co-served by the
following clergy: Archpriest Nicholas Tkatschow (rector of the
Church of the Entrance into the Temple of the Theotokos in Syracuse,
NY), Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko (rector of the Church of All Russian
Saints in Burlingame, CA), Archpriest Andrei Papkov (dean of Holy
Virgin Protection Cathedral in Chicago, IL), Hieromonks Roman
(Krassovsky) and Theophylact (Clapper-DeWell; clerics of Holy
Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY), Protodeacons Nicholas Drobot
(cleric of Holy New Martyrs Church in Norwich, CT) and Alexander
Jarostchuk (cleric of Holy Epiphany Church in Boston, MA), Deacon
Ephraim Willmarth (cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery), Deacon Matthew
Markevich (cleric of St. Tikhon’s OCA Monastery in South Canaan,
PA), and the above-mentioned clergy. The choir sang beautifully
under the direction of Natalie Schuler.
During
the Sixth Hour, Reader Gregory Soloviev was awarded the orarion, and
Eugene Ryan Fitzpatrick was tonsured a reader and ordained
subdeacon. At the Little Entrance, Fr. Michael Soloviev was awarded
the kamilavka. The Liturgy was followed by a moleben and procession
around the church.
After the service, a jubilee banquet was held in the parish hall,
during which Fr. Wsewolod was presented a beautiful oil painting of
his recently constructed church, and a book filled with warm wishes
and greetings from clergy and parishioners. The sisterhood presented
Fr. Wsewolod with a silver frame containing a picture of the fresco
commissioned by the sisterhood to commemorate Fr. Wsewolod’s 50
years of service to the parish. Also, a benevolent fund in the name
of St. Vsevolod, Wonderworker of Pskov, was started with a $2000
donation by the Church and Sisterhood.
A young birch tree was also planted at the entrance to the church to
commemorate his long years of service.
Photos: Nikolai Roschko.
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