NEW YORK: May 23, 2008
The Diocesan Myrrh-bearers Women's Choir Celebrates Its Feast Day

On Saturday May 10th, the Holy Myrrh-bearers Diocesan Women’s Choir of the Diocese of Eastern America and New York, under the direction of Eugenia Temidis, maintained its 10-year tradition and marked the Paschal feast of their heavenly patronesses with the singing of the all-night vigil in the Synodal Cathedral of the Mother of God of the Sign. The Women’s Choir currently consists of 23 singers from 11 different parishes. This year the group was especially honored to sing at one of the divine services which marked the start of the Council of Bishops. The hierarchical vigil was presided over by His Grace Bishop Agapit of Stuttgart and served by Synodal Protopriest Andrei Sommer and Archdeacon Eugene Burbelo. Also present and praying in the altar were His Eminence Archbishop Hilarion, Locum Tenens of the President of the Synod of Bishops, along with the other members of the Synod of Bishops, and all Synodal clerics and subdeacons. At the end of service, Archbishop Hilarion honored the Women’s Choir for their singing with a kind word of congratulations. Members of the Choir accompanied the departure of the Kursk-Root icon of the Mother of God from the cathedral with the joyful singing of the troparia of the icon and “Christ is Risen.”

On Sunday morning, the Women’s Choir continued its celebration with the joyfully prayerful singing of Divine Liturgy in the Synodal Chapel of St Sergius of Radonezh, served by Priest Joakim Provatakis, the pastor of this English-speaking congregation. After Liturgy, the Choir invited Father Joakim and members of his parish, to share in a celebratory trapeza luncheon in order to thank them for their generous hospitality.