On March 22, the 4th Sunday of Great Lent – usually dedicated to Venerable John Climacus, but this year falling on the feast of the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste – His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Michael of Boston, paid his first archpastoral visit to Holy Epiphany Church in Roslindale (Boston), MA, where he celebrated Divine Liturgy.

His Grace was greeted at the entrance to the church by parish warden Dr. Natalia Ganson with the traditional bread and salt.

Concelebrating with the diocesan vicar at Liturgy were parish clergy: rector Archpriest Victor Boldewskul, Archpriest Thomas Reske, Priest Victor Ganson, Protodeacons Alexander Jarostchuk and Alexander Kurenkov, and Deacon Nicholas Solovieff, as well as Deacon Dimitry Doohovskoy (cleric of St. Xenia Church in Methuen, MA accompanying the hierarch).

The parish choir sang under the direction of Subdeacon Nicholas Ganson.

In his sermon for the 4th Sunday of Lent, Bishop Michael reflected on the day’s Gospel reading, which relates the healing of the possessed boy whose father implored our Lord Jesus Christ for help, saying, in part:

"When His disciples inquired as to why they were unsuccessful in casting out the demon, they were told, ‘This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting’ (Mark 9:29). And so we are encouraged in our Lenten podvig. We struggle to quell the storms within us, to find peace in the face of the vicissitudes of life. Our increased prayer and fasting in this season are not only an obedience, but also participation in the life and salvific work of Jesus Christ. We are, each one of us, chosen to be in the Body of Christ, His Holy Church. This is not some kind of ‘general calling,’ but completely personal and particular. We struggle both for our personal salvation and for the life of the world."

Going forward in this second half of the fast, he offered this quote from the Triodion: "Let us fast a kind of fasting which is pleasant to the Lord. True fasting means alienation from evil, self-restraint of the tongue, abstinence from anger, separation of desires, gossip, lies, and perjury. The lack of these is true fasting" (Vespers of Clean Monday). Embracing this, we will be following in the way of our Lord Jesus Christ and participating in His salvific ministry.

At the conclusion of the service, the parish rector greeted His Grace. Head sister Natalia Efimova, on behalf of the sisterhood and parishioners, presented the newest ROCOR hierarch a complete set of green hierarchal vestments.

A Lenten luncheon was served for all in the parish hall.