EASTERN AMERICAN DIOCESE: August 16, 2016
His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York Celebrates Divine Liturgy at St Panteleimon Church in Hartford, CT

On Monday and Tuesday, August 8-9, 2016, the feast day of the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon, parishioners of St Panteleimon Church in Hartford, CT, marked their patronal feast day. Celebrations on Tuesday morning were led by the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York.

On Monday evening, parish rector Archpriest Dionisy Nalitov led all-night vigil, joined by Archpriest Constantine Semyanko (cleric of Holy Presentation Church in Stratford, CT) and Deacon Alexey Pnev (cleric of Nativity of the Mother of God Church at the New Kursk Root Hermitage in Mahopac, NY). The faithful prayed to the holy great-martyr and confessed their sins.

The following morning, prior to the start of Liturgy, Fr Constantine performed the Lesser Blessing of the Waters. The clergy and faithful then greeted the Metropolitan, who had just returned the day prior from a pilgrimage to the holy sites of Russia. After the reading of the hours, the Liturgy began. His Eminence was joined by the above-mentioned clergy as well as: Archpriest George Lardas (Rector of St Nicholas Church in Stratford); Archpriest Brendan Crowley (Rector of St Nicholas Church in Enfield, CT), Hieromonk Sylvester (Kozhin; cleric of St Anthony the Great Monastery in Phoenix, AZ), Protodeacon Denis Lvov (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign in New York City), and Deacon Alexander Doohovskoy (cleric of St Xenia’s Church in Methuen, MA).

Despite it being a weekday, many came to the service and communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries. Upon completion of Liturgy, Metropolitan Hilarion addressed the faithful with a sermon in which he spoke about the bravery and courage of the Holy Great-Martyr Panteleimon, and called on everyone to emulate the saint in defending the Christian Faith. The clergy and faithful then held a procession around the church.

After the service, a bountiful festal luncheon was held in the parish hall for the hierarch, clergy, parishioners, and guests.