Feast Day at Protection Church in Hollywood

On October 14, 2004, Protection Church in Hollywood marked their feast day. This year, Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America could not officiate at divine liturgy in our church, instead going to Protection Church in Palo Alto, the Rector of which is Fr Vladimir Deriugin. If God grants, Vladyka will visit our parish the following Sunday. For this reason, on the feast day itself, the Dean of the Third Deanery of the Diocese, Protopriest Alexander Lebedeff served, along with the Parish Rector, Priest Peter Shashkoff, Protodeacon George Grigoriev and Deacon Andrei Korobkov.

The choir sang prayerfully and solemnly under the direction of V.M. Gor. After liturgy, a moleben was served along with a procession of the cross around the church. Then, Protopriest Alexander Lebedeff, greeting the worshipers on behalf of himself and the Ruling Archbishop Kyrill, wished the parishioners and worshipers to live in peace and to quietly serve God and His Holy Church. In his response, Fr Peter thanked the Dean for taking the time out of his very busy schedule, working for the Church as a whole, for the Diocese and his own parish, assigned to him by the Church hierarchy, in order to visit their parish and share in the celebration of the Eucharist with them.

Protodeacon George Grigoriev read the text of a letter of thanks written by Fr Sergii Maltsev, Rector of St George's Church of the Russian Orthodox Church/Moscow Patriarchate in Beslan, in which he thanked the Protection Church's parishioners for their donation of over 3,000 dollars after the tragedy of the beginning of September. Besides gratitude, Fr Sergii expressed good wishes to the Rector and parishioners, greeting them on their feast day.

At the church hall, the sisterhood, led by Maria Merzlikina, offered a magnificent trapeza, during which the Rector said a few words in which he thanked all the parish officers, helpers and others who labored for the good of church life in the parish. Fr Peter Shashkoff shared his joy over the elevation of the main cupola over the neighboring Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, whose rector is the Dean. Many parishioners and guests sharing the festive trapeza then burst into applause. In his conclusion, Fr Peter wished further success and the speedy crowning of the neighboring church with the remaining cupolas.

Priest Peter Shashkoff

Before the great entrance at divine liturgy.

After the great entrance, the priest blesses the deacons, asking their prayers.

Priest Peter Shashkoff.

Protopriest Alexander Lebedeff greets the parishioners.

From left to right: Protodeacon George Grigoriev, Protopriest Alexander Lebedeff, Priest Peter Shashkoff and Deacon Andrei Karobkov.