On Tuesday the 23rd and Wednesday the 24th of September, His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, paid an archpastoral visit to the Church of St. Xenia of Petersburg in Methuen, MA. Accompanying the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad was the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God – the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – and a reliquary containing a portion of the relics of the Holy Hierarch Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow.

On Tuesday evening, His Eminence and the Kursk Root Icon were greeted with the singing of the troparion of the icon by parish members and visitors in time for the All-Night Vigil.

Serving alongside the Metropolitan at Vigil were:

• Archpriest Serafim Gan (chancellor of the Synod of Bishops)
• Archpriest Michael Crowley (parish rector)
• Archpriest Victor Boldewskul (rector of Holy Epiphany Church in Roslindale (Boston), MA)
• Archpriest Brendan Crowley (rector of St. Nicholas Church in Enfield, CT)
• Archpriest Seraphim Solof (cleric of St. George Antiochian Cathedral in Worcester, MA)
• Priest Alexei Klar (parish cleric)
• Priest Peter James (cleric of St. John the Russian Church in Ipswich, MA)
• Protodeacon Alexander Jarostchuk (cleric of Holy Epiphany Church)
• Protodeacon Victor Ganson (cleric of Holy Epiphany Church)
• Protodeacon Alexander Doohovskoy (parish cleric)
• Deacon Dimitri Doohovskoy (parish cleric), and
• Deacon John Sarantakis (parish cleric).

Joining the aforementioned clergy at Divine Liturgy on Wednesday morning were: Priest Stephen Kaznica (rector of Holy New Martyrs of Russia Church in Norwich, CT) and Protodeacon Gregory Petrochko and Deacon Christopher Kimball (clerics of St. Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church in Richmond, ME).

The parish choir, conducted by Laryssa Doohovskoy, sang melodiously for both the Vigil and Liturgy with the additional help of many young people of the parish.

After a short moleben to St. Xenia at the end of Liturgy, diocesan gramotas were awarded by His Eminence to Tatyana Nikshych, Natalie Pishenin, and Meghan Nettleton for their untiring service to the needs of the parish. Fr. Michael thanked Metropolitan Nicholas for his continuous prayers and support for the parish and for all.

A bounteous lenten banquet was enjoyed by all on the church grounds following the services.