DIOCESE OF CHICAGO AND MID-AMERICA: October 10, 2014
Metropolitan Hilarion Leads Celebrations of the 700th Anniversary of the Birth of St Sergius of Radonezh

His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, President of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, led celebrations of the 700th anniversary of the birth of St Sergius of Radonezh at the cathedral dedicated to the saint in Cleveland, OH, on October 7-8, 2014. He was joined by the members of the Synod of Bishops, by His Grace Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA; bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, including His Grace Bishop Longin of Novo-Gracanica and Mid-America and His Grace Bishop Mitrophan of Eastern America; Archimandrite Macarius (Veretennikov), Prior of Holy Trinity-St Sergius Lavra; representatives of Local Orthodox Churches and clerics of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Praying at the service were Consul General Igor Golubovsky of the Russian Federation in New York, a multitude of parishioners and pilgrims from all over America and Canada. Fr Macarius delivered a sermon before Holy Communion.

Two holy icons were presented for veneration in the cathedral: the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign" and a reliquary containing relics of St Sergius.

After Divine Liturgy, a moleben was performed with the consecration of a newly-constructed bell tower, followed by a procession of the cross around the cathedral, after which Metropolitan Hilarion and His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, exchanged congratulations.

Speaking at the festive luncheon that followed were the bishops, Mr Golubovsky, Protopriest Ilya Marzev, Senior Priest of the Cathedral, Protopriest Victor Potapov, who had lived in Cleveland, as well as noted parishioners and local government officials.