October 23, 2013
Glen Cove, NY: Bishop Jerome leads Patronal Feast of Holy Virgin Intercession Church

On Monday, October 14, on the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, His Grace, Bishop Jerome, visited Glen Cove, NY, and led the patronal feast day of Holy Virgin Intercession Church.

In addition to the Archpastoral visit, parishioners were blessed with two other joyous events: on the eve of the feast of the Protection, Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th of October, a special joy visited the parish ‒ the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora, the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. And, on Sunday, before the festal Vigil, a reliquary containing relics of all of the venerable fathers of the Kiev Caves Lavra, a gift from the lavra’s deputy abbot, His Eminence Paul, Metropolitan of Vyshgorod & Chernobyl, was brought out for veneration by the faithful.

On Monday morning, Bishop Jerome celebrated the Divine Liturgy, co-served by diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Archpriest Serafim Gan (rector of neighboring St. Seraphim Memorial Church), parish rector Priest Alexandre Antchoutine, Priest Ion Arama, Priest Alexei Oulanov (parish cleric), Protodeacons Paul Wolkow and Eugene Kallaur (clerics of St. Seraphim Church), Deacon Nathan Mousselli (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign), Deacon Michael Wengrin (cleric of St. George’s Church in Howell, NJ), and parish Deacon Vladimir Barros.

A large number of the faithful were communed from two chalices, and after the service, a procession was held around the church. Upon completion of the Liturgy, His Grace addressed the faithful with a sermon on the Heavenly Intercession and Protection given to us by the Most Holy Theotokos, after which a bountiful luncheon was offered in the parish hall.

Photos courtesy of V. Mickle

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese