The week of June 19-23 marked the tenth anniversary of summer camp for children, aged 4-16, at St. Mary of Egypt Church in Roswell (Atlanta), GA. This year, over 20 children participated in the study of worship in church and private prayer. The mornings, beginning with prayers at 9:30 AM, were filled with study about prayer, taught by the teachers and priests of the church
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On June 30 & July 1, 2016 – in honor of the feast day of the Holy Hierarch John, Wonderworker of Shanghai & San Francisco – Sts. Cyril & Athanasius Institute for Orthodox Studies held a symposium on "Saint John & His Legacy," where several lectures were read by the holy hierarch’s spiritual children.
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On Sunday, July 2, the feast of the Holy Apostles Jude, brother of the Lord, and the repose of the Holy Hierarch John, Wonderworker of Shanghai & San Francisco, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, celebrated Divine Liturgy in New York City’s Synodal Cathedral of the Sign.
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After the ROCOR Council of Bishops completed its work in Munich, His Grace George, Bishop of Canberra (vicar of the Diocese of Australia & New Zealand) paid an archpastoral visit to the Eastern American Diocese. On Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th of June, Bishop George led the divine services in New York City’s Synodal Cathedral of the Sign, co-served by Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan. Later that week, His Grace traveled to Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV, of which he had served as abbot from the time of his episcopal consecration in 2008 until his reassignment to Australia in 2014.
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It was with a certain sadness that the people of the church began to disassemble the old iconostasis, which had preceded the people of the church like the Holy Cross on their wanderings since the parish joined the Russian Church Abroad twenty years ago. It preceded them to two warehouses and then to the present church building and was, like the cloud and the pillar of fire in the wilderness, an inspiration and a protection from the Lord and His saints to the congregation.
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On Friday, July 7, the feast of the Nativity of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord John, St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Mayfield, PA celebrated its patronal feast day. Celebrating Divine Liturgy on Friday morning was His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan...
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On Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th of July, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan visited the Diocesan Center in Howell, NJ, for the celebrations in honor of the patronal feast day of Our Lady of Tikhvin Church. The church was built 81 years ago, and originally – before the construction of the new cathedral – had been consecrated in honor of the Holy Right-Believing Great Prince Alexander Nevsky.
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At the invitation of Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco & Western American, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, vicar of the Eastern American Diocese, took part in the celebrations in honor of the feast day of the Holy Hierarch John, Wonderworker of Shanghai & San Francisco. This year, the celebrations began on Friday, June 30, and continued on Saturday, July 1. In 1994, at the glorification of the Holy Hierarch John, the Council of the Russian Church Abroad adopted a resolution to hold the celebrations in honor of the saint on the nearest Saturday to the day of his repose – Saturday, July 2, 1966.
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The main Orthodox church in the Dominican Republic is the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (Misión de Nuestra Sra. Madre de Dios de Kazan), located in the town of Sosúa. Its rector graduated university and converted to Orthodoxy in Russia, and now ministers to Russians in the Caribbean Basin. Of course, the accommodations could hardly be called a church, but the local Orthodox faithful find them suitable enough. The parish was founded in 2008, and in October of the same year, during his visit to Costa Rica, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, ordained Rafael Martinez Gonzalez to the priesthood.
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On Saturday, July 8, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, began a pilgrimage to the holy sites of Russia. The pilgrimage was organized in conjunction with the centennial of the beginning of the godless persecution and the decennial of the Reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church with the Russian Church Abroad. Upon his arrival in Moscow, His Eminence prayed in Cathedral of Christ the Savior before the relics of the Holy Hierarch and Wonderworker Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, which after its time in the Russian capital will soon depart for St. Petersburg. Joined by a delegation, the Metropolitan also visited Holy Protection Monastery, where he venerated the relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow.
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On Wednesday, August 9 the brethren of Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV will celebrate the feast of their beloved Heavenly patron, the Holy Great-Martyr and Healer Panteleimon. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a festal moleben will be served, in thanksgiving to the holy martyr and in order to beseech his continued aid and protection throughout the coming year.
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On Wednesday, July 12, the feast of the Holy Supreme Leaders of the Apostles Peter & Paul, after Divine Liturgy, a panihida was served at the gravesite of the ever-memorable Archbishop Andrew (Rymarenko) of Rockland, vicar of the Eastern American Diocese, on the 39th anniversary of his repose. Archbishop Andrew was the founder of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY. The panihida was served by the dean of the monastery’s St. Seraphim Cathedral, Archpriest Alexander Fedorowski.
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On Friday, July 7, the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, His Eminence Gabriel, Archbishop of Montreal & Canada, celebrated Divine Liturgy in St. John the Forerunner Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY, on the occasion of the lesser patronal feast day. The cathedral choir beautifully sang the hymns of the festal divine services. At the Little Entrance, with the blessing of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, Archbishop Gabriel awarded Fr. Rostislav the right to wear the second orarion for his labors on behalf of the Holy Church.
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On Sunday, July 16, upon completion of the Divine Liturgy, the abbot of Holy Protection Male Skete in Buena, NJ, Hieromonk Tikhon (Gayfudinov), went in procession – joined by parishioners bearing banners – to the adjacent cemetery, where they blessed the votive Cross."The Cross was erected in the 1970s, but since the church underwent a 20-year period without a standing parish, the Cross fell into a sorrowful state," said Fr. Tikhon. "The Cross was cleaned, and new plaster applied. One feels joy when he sees the difference: what was and what it became."
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A group of ROCOR clergy and parishioners, led by the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad – Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York – is continuing its pilgrimage to the holy sites of Russia. On the road from Diveevo, the pilgrims visited Murom, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Godenovo, Khotkovo, and finally arrived in Sergiev Posad, in order to take part in the national celebrations for the feast day of Venerable Sergus, Abbot & Wonderworker of Radonezh. On Tuesday, July 18, the feast of the finding of the precious relics of Venerable Sergius, Metropolitan Hilarion and a number of hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, concelebrated with His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow & All Russia, who officiated at Divine Liturgy in Holy Dormition Cathedral of Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra.
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On Monday, July 10, the eve of the feast of Venerable Sergius & Herman of Valaam (July 11 n.s.), Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY celebrated its own feast, the tonsure of Riassophore Monk John (Weeks) to the Lesser Schema and Novice Stephen (Manduke) to the Riassa. This grace-filled event took place just as the Holy Church is finishing the Apostles’ Fast. For the elder fathers of the monastery brotherhood, this event was not only a joy as they see their ranks replenished and strengthened, but also a reminder of their own vows and – very importantly – a witness to the many pilgrims who perhaps for the first time were able to observe such a commitment to Christ.
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During his pilgrimage through Crimea, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, was presented an icon containing a piece of the relics of Archbishop Luke (Voyno-Yasenetsky). The gift was presented by Metropolitan Lazar of Simferopol & Crimea at Simferopol’s Holy Trinity Convent, where the relics of the Holy Hierarch Luke reside.
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On Thursday, July 13, the feast day of the Holy Twelve Apostles, St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC, hosted an evening honoring the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Russia to the United States of America, Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak, and his wife, Natalia Mikhailovna. At 7:00 PM, the parishioners and friends of the Russian ambassador and his spouse gathered at the cathedral, where the rector, Archpriest Victor Potapov, performed a thanksgiving moleben.
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On Tuesday, July 18, the feast day of the Venerable Martyresses Grand Duchess Elizabeth and Nun Barbara – as well as the feast of Venerable Sergius, Abbot & Wonderworker of Radonezh – the parishioners of St. Elizabeth the New-Martyr Church in Rocky Hill, NJ celebrated their patronal feast day.
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The Patriarch Tikhon Russian-American Music (PaTRAM) Institute was founded in 2013 for the cultivation and popularization of beauty and spiritual depth in Russian Orthodox liturgical arts and choral singing in the English and Slavonic languages, and likewise the professional training of conductors and singers of church choirs in the Orthodox churches of America. After a distance learning course, the participants gather for master classes, which are conducted worldwide by Vladimir Gorbik, the renowned conductor of the male choir of the brethren of the Moscow Representation Church of Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra and assistant professor of the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky State Conservatory Choral Conducting Department.
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On Friday, July 28, as the Russian Church will celebrate the memory of her baptizer and enlightener – the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir – bells all across Russia and throughout the Russian Diaspora will be rung in honor of this great feast. His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow & All Russia, blessed for all of the churches and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church to ring their bells at 12 o’clock noon local time on July 28th.
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On Tuesday, July 18, the feast day of the Holy Venerable Martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth & Nun Barbara, the sisters of St. Elizabeth Skete in Jordanville, NY celebrated their patronal feast day.
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The pilgrimage of Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, to the holy sites of Crimea continues. On Friday, July 21, His Eminence served a thanksgiving moleben in St. Vladimir Cathedral in Chersonesus.
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The summer Mastery Class for choir conductors, led by Maestro Vladimir Gorbik and organized by the Patriarch Tikhon Russian-American Music ("PaTRAM") Institute under the direction of Alexis Lukianov, was held July 6-12 at Moscow’s Holy Trinity-St. SergiusLavraMetochionChurch. During their studies, choir conductors in the U.S., Australia, and Russia had an opportunity to receive unique knowledge and perfect their technique of conducting, as well as to meet with Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan and conduct the choir during hierarchal Liturgy, celebrated by His Grace on the feast of the Holy Leaders of the Apostles Peter & Paul.
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On Tuesday, July 18, the feast of the Finding of the Relics of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, led the patronal feast day of the St. Sergius Chapel at the Synodal Headquarters in New York City. The patronal feast of the chapel itself is celebrated on October 8, while July 18 traditionally marks the patronal feast of the English Mission. For four years now, the English Mission has been nourished by Hieromonk Zosimas (Krampis).
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The parish anniversary celebrations of Holy Apostles Church in Beltsville, MD were heartwarming, joyful, and spiritually fulfilling. The actual feast day on Thursday, July 13, was attended by 12 parishioners – an apostolic number – and was itself on occasion of great joy. Every attendee prepared for and received Christ’s Holy Mysteries at Liturgy. The parish choir sang to perfection, both for the actual feast and at the weekend services to follow.
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On Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th of July, the feast of the Enlightener of Rus’, the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir, the entire Russian Orthodox Church once more celebrated the anniversary of the Baptism of Rus’, which took place in 988 A.D. Although the celebrations in honor of this event are held on the last Sunday in July, St. Vladimir Memorial Church in Jackson, NJ also celebrates its patronal feast day on July 28 itself. This year, divine services in the Memorial Church were led by His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan.
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On Sunday, July 30, the annual St. Vladimir’s Day Celebrations were held at St. Vladimir Memorial Church to the Millennium of the Baptism of Rus’ in Jackson, NJ. On the eve of the feast, Saturday, July 29, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, led the All-Night Vigil in the church, co-served by Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, and local clergy.