September 9, 2014
Hartford, CT: Metropolitan Hilarion visits St. Panteleimon’s Church

On Friday the 5th and Saturday the 6th of September, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, paid an archpastoral visit to St. Panteleimon’s Church in Hartford, CT, where he led the divine services.

At the All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy, His Eminence was co-served by parish rector Archpriest Dionisy Nalitov, Archpriest Brendan Crowley (rector of St. Nicholas Church in West Springfield,MA), Archpriest Constantine Semyanko (rector of Holy Presentation Church in Stratford, CT), Protodeacon Nicolas Mokhoff (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City), and Deacon Alexei Jukoff.

For Fr. Dionisy and his Matushka Ksenia, originally from Tambov, the service was especially joyous, because for the first time in St. Panteleimon’s Church, the divine services were held in the presence of a piece of the holy relics of the Holy Hierarch Pitirim of Tambov, in honor of the 100th anniversary of whose glorification the relics were presented to the parish. At the end of the service, small icons were blessed on the relic and distributed to parishioners and guests.

Upon completion of the Liturgy, a procession was held around the church, after which His Eminence honored three parish laborers: Igor Z. Vecheslov (one of the church’s founders and builders, who also substantially donated to its construction) was presented a Synodal gramota, while the Metropolitan presented Maria Shaposhnikov and Katherine Collins with commemorative books for their diligent labors on behalf of the parish and in adorning the church.

After the service, a bountiful luncheon was offered in the parish hall.

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