December 15, 2016
Howell, NJ: Metropolitan Hilarion leads Festivities in Honor of 80th
Anniversary of St. Alexander Nevsky Parish
The
first church founded in the Eastern American Diocese (itself
organized in 1934) was dedicated to St. Alexander Nevsky, founded in
Howell, New Jersey, in 1936, with the blessing of Archbishop Vitaly
(Maximenko). Eighty years later, the parish, which once had
comprised a handful of parishioners gathering in a humble wooden
chapel in the woods, has grown to be a cathedral, currently the
Diocesan Center.
On December 3, the eve of the feast, the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian
Montreal Iveron Icon of the Mother of God arrived at the cathedral,
and joined the daily procession around the parish grounds.
On
Saturday the 3rd and Sunday the 4th of December, the great feast of
the Entrance into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, the festal
All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy in St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
were led by its rector – Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America &
New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad. His Eminence
was co-served by Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov (dean of New
Jersey), Archpriest Serge Lukianov (Eastern American Diocesan
secretary; cathedral dean), Archpriest Rafael Melendez (Albanian
Orthodox Church), Archpriest Boris Slootsky (cathedral cleric),
Archpriest Petro Kunitsky (cleric of Holy New Martyrs & Confessors
of Russia Church in Brooklyn, NY), Abbot Constantine Kurkin
(Moldovan Orthodox Church), Archpriest Daniel Metlenko (rector of
St. Vladimir Church in Sydney, Australia), and Archpriest Seraphim
Chemodakov, Protodeacons Nicholas Lukianov, Leonid Roschko, and Paul
Drozdowski (cathedral clerics).
Parishioners
and faithful from nearby parishes came to pray for the flourishing
of the parish and the wellbeing of its clergy and all those who
worship therein. Many communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries. Upon
completion of the Liturgy, the Polychronion was intoned for His
Holiness, the Patriarch, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church
Abroad, the parish clergy, members of the sisterhood, choir, and
parishioners.
Metropolitan Hilarion delivered a sermon on the history of the
feast, and congratulated everyone present with the feast of the
Entrance of the Mother of God, as well as with the anniversary of
the parish’s founding. The Metropolitan spoke of the parish’s
original founders, beginning with its principal founder, Archbishop
Vitaly (Maximenko). The protodeacon intoned "Memory Eternal" to
Archbishop Vitaly, former rectors, benefactors, and parishioners.
His Eminence also offered his traditional congratulations to the
cathedral sisterhood, named in honor of the feast of the Entrance,
recalled the reposed members of the sisterhood, and thanked all
those who labor as members today.
A
banquet was held in the parish hall, during which a film
presentation was shown, depicting both the history of the parish and
plans for its future. Specifically, the film touched on plans to
obtain the neighboring property of Russian House "Rodina," and to
construct thereon an "Orthodox Village."
The cathedral’s pastor emeritus, Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov,
then shared his recollections about the development and growth of
parish life and significant events in the history of the parish, to
which both parish clergy and longtime parishioners had been witness
over the years. The interaction of clergy and parishioners continued
well into the afternoon, after which the clergy and faithful once
more proceeded around the parish grounds with the myrrh-streaming
Hawaiian Icon.
Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese
