On Saturday the 28th and Sunday the 29th of March, the 5th Sunday of Great Lent, dedicated to Venerable Mary of Egypt, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Luke of Syracuse paid an archpastoral visit to the eponymous church in Roswell (Atlanta), GA, where he officiated the divine services on the occasion of the parish’s patronal feast. With the blessing of Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, Bishop Luke bestowed several clerical awards and performed a priestly ordination.

Concelebrating with His Grace at the services were rector Archimandrite John (Townsend) and parish clergy: Priest Daniel Iliev, Hieromonk Gabriel (Davis), Priest Isaac Weaver, Hieromonk Razhden (Ashjazadeh), and Deacons Peter Epstein and Mark King, as well as Priests Aaron Blanco (priest in charge of St. Innocent of Alaska Mission in Canton, GA) and Jonah Evans (priest in charge of St. Katherine of Alexandria Mission in Dallas, GA) and Deacons Cyril Donohoe (cleric of St. John the Wonderworker Mission in Bay St. Louis, MS) and Matthew Campbell (cleric of St. Innocent of Alaska Mission).

On Sunday morning during the reading of the Hours, Bishop Luke tonsured Gabriel Evans a reader, to serve at St. Katherine of Alexandria Mission.

At the Little Entrance at Liturgy, Fr. Daniel Iliev was awarded the right to wear the gold pectoral cross, and Fr. Peter Epstein was awarded the right to wear the double orarion.

After the Great Entrance, His Grace ordained Fr. Cyril to the priesthood for continued service in St. John the Wonderworker Mission.

Upon conclusion of Liturgy, Bishop Luke delivered a sermon, in which he spoke on the tempo of life. Specifically, he contrasted the ever-accelerating, frantic world with the steady and solemn tempo of the Orthodox Church. He noted:

"We have a great miracle in the Orthodox Church, which is the miracle that allows us to make a new beginning like St. Mary of Egypt. She was stopped in her tracks by God. Frequently, we also are stopped in our tracks by various tragedies that the Lord allows, so that we may reflect as St. Mary of Egypt did. Then, each time we come to Holy Confession and Holy Communion, time stops for us, and we are able to begin again. We can reset our lives. This is an incredible miracle we have. Time is not just zooming past, like in the world, to no end. St. Mary was able to stop and begin anew. We also can stop, examine ourselves, and restart our lives, beginning anew in Christ."

The diocesan vicar greeted Fr. John and all of the clergy and parishioners of St. Mary of Egypt parish on their patronal feast, and reminded them that our only mission is to save souls.

He congratulated the newly ordained Fr. Cyril, the newly awarded Frs. Daniel and Peter, and the newly tonsured Reader Gabriel.