March 12, 2014
Brooklyn, NY: Metropolitan Hilarion leads Holy Unction at St. John the Baptist Church

On Sunday, March 9, the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. He was co-served by cathedral clergy. Upon completion of the Liturgy, the usual Rite of Orthodoxy was served ‒ the anathemas were proclaimed by Synodal Protodeacon Nicholas Mokhoff.

That evening, the First Hierarch arrived in neighboring Brooklyn and led the Sacrament of Holy Unction in St. John the Forerunner Church.

His Eminence was co-served by parish rector and New York City dean Archpriest Alexander Belya, Priest Konstantin Gavrilkin (cleric of Holy New Martyrs of Russia Church in Brooklyn), Hieromonk Photius (Oulanov; cleric of Holy Virgin Intercession Church in Glen Cove, NY), Hieromonk Tikhon (Gayfudinov; cleric of the Synodal Cathedral), Priests Zakaria Mchedlishvili and Spiridon Narsia (clerics of the Georgian Orthodox Church), parish Deacon Petr Utkin, and Synodal Deacon Dionysius Lvov.

At the end of Unction, parish rector Fr. Alexander thanked Metropolitan Hilarion and all of his brother clergy for their participation in the sacrament.

Upon conclusion of the sacrament of Unction, the clergy gathered and talked over a light dinner, during which the Metropolitan congratulated all with the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the lesser parish feast day ‒ the First and Second Findings of the Head of St. John the Baptist ‒ and the service of Holy Unction, noting that it was clearly visible on the faces of the worshipers that this is clearly a sacrament of spiritual joy.

Prior to his departure, Metropolitan Hilarion’s urged everyone to go to Confession and Holy Communion as often as possible during this salvific time of the Holy Forty-Day Fast.

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