EASTERN AMERICAN DIOCESE: May 21, 2014
The Anniversary of the Reestablishment of Canonical Communion Within the Russian Orthodox Church Was Celebrated at St Seraphim Church

On Saturday, May 17, 2014, the feast day of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia of Butovo, and the anniversary of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion between the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Divine Liturgy was celebrated at St Seraphim Church in Sea Cliff, NY. Officiating was its rector, Protopriest Serafim Gan, and joining him were Priest Nikolai Kostur of Novo-Gracanica Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as Protodeacon Paul Wolkow and Protodeacon Eugene Kallaur. A commemorative litany was then performed at the memorial plaque dedicated to His Holiness the late Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and Metropolitan Laurus of blessed memory.

The following morning, the fifth Sunday of Holy Pascha and the anniversary of the enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Protopriest Yaroslav Belikov officiated at Liturgy along with Fr Serafim and the other clergymen of the memorial church. After the singing of “Blessed is the name of the Lord,” Fr Yaroslav delivered a sermon on the topic of church unity. During the trapeza luncheon that followed, the clergy and parishioners enjoyed a screening of a portion of the film “Reunification.”

www.stseraphimschurch.org