On Saturday, August 5, the feast of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, the clergy and faithful solemnly celebrated the patronal feast day of Our Lady of Pochaev Church in North Port, FL.

All-Night Vigil was served on Friday evening, with the litia and an akathist to the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God sung by the congregation. Officiating Vigil was Archpriest Iaroslav Lutoschin (cleric of St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon Church in Pompano Beach, FL). Also praying at the evening service were Archpriest Theodore Rasstorguyev and Deacon Alexander Kharitoniuk (UOC clerics). The hymns were sung by the brotherhood choir under the direction of Hieromonk Arkadii (Polishchuk).

On the day of the feast, the lesser blessing of the water was performed before Liturgy. Celebrating Divine Liturgy was Archpriest Serge Prisacaru (cleric of St. Vladimir Church in Miami, FL), co-served by Archimandrite Stefan (Khilchuk), Fr. Iaroslav, Fr. Theodore Rastorguyev, Archpriest Aleksandar Djurdjevic (rector of St. Sava Serbian Church in North Port), Priest Stephen Lourie (rector of Holy Spirit OCA Church in Venice, FL), Priest Daniel Sobolev (deputy rector of St. Sophia Church in Kissimmee, FL), and Hierodeacon Paisius (Alexeevets) and Deacon Alexander Kharitoniuk (UOC clerics).

After Liturgy, Fr. Serge addressed the people with a sermon, in which he expanded upon the importance of honoring the Mother of God and the importance of Orthodox Christians of various nations mutually supporting on another in this difficult time. Archimandrite Stefan also read aloud a greeting and congratulatory note from Metropolitan Nichoals to the clergy and parishioners.

Of note was the large number of guests from other parishes, including parishioners from the Antiochian church in Naples, St. Sophia Church in Kissimmee, several guests from Miami.

The celebrations concluded with a luncheon, a space for which was provided by Fr. Aleksandar in the refectory of St. Sava Serbian Church.

Prior to the feast, a new hand-painted icon of the Pochaev Mother of God was blessed. The icon is unique and lovely. Depicted in the center is the Most Holy Theotokos of Pochaev; on the upper row are Venerable Job and Amphilochius, Wonderworkers of Pochaev; below them are Venerable Hilarion of the Kiev Caves (Heavenly patron of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral; +2022), who blessed the parish’s founding) and the Equal-of-the-Apostles Nicholas of Japan (Heavenly patron of the current First Hierarch of ROCOR, Metropolitan Nicholas).

Depicted on the bottom row are Venerable Stephen of the Kiev Cave, Hieromartyr Arcadius (Bezhetsky), and Venerable Paisius of the Kiev Caves, the saints in whose honor the first three members of the future monastic community were tonsured.

The icon was painted by Ilya Alexeevets, brother of Hierodeacon Paisius.