January 10, 2014
Jordanville: Bishop George leads Nativity Services at Holy Trinity Monastery

On the great feast of the Nativity of Christ, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop George of Mayfield, led the divine services at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. On Monday, January 6, Bishop George celebrated Vespers and the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, and that evening led the festal Vigil. The following morning, on the very day of the feast, His Grace celebrated the Divine Liturgy, co-served by monastery abbot Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) and monastery clergy.

Upon completion of the Liturgy, Bishop George addressed the brethren and pilgrims with a sermon on the feast, in which he spoke of the Angelic hymn "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace." H Grace reminded the faithful that there is no peace on this earth, other than with God and in His Holy Church. This eternal peace was given by the Savior to His disciples, and this same peace gave them and all of the martyrs the hope and spiritual courage with which they would face their deaths for Christ. This same peace is given to us when we partake of the Holy Sacraments of Confession and Communion.

On behalf of the brethren, Fr. Luke congratulated His Grace and wished him renewed spiritual and physical strengths from the newborn Infant Christ. A festal luncheon was then served in the monastery refectory. Interaction between the clergy and pilgrims continued at a reception hosted by the abbot, where those gathered sang Christmas carols and glorified the Infant God.

The following morning, on the feast of the Synaxis of the Mother of God, Bishop George once more celebrated the Liturgy in the main Holy Trinity Cathedral, after which was read aloud the Nativity epistle of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York.

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