CHICAGO: 8 March 2023
Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America joins an All-Orthodox vespers service

Hundreds of Orthodox faithful from the Chicago area came together on Sunday evening, 5 March, 2023, to celebrate vespers for the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

The service was held at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral and celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of Chicago (Orthodox Church in America), His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of America and Canada (Romanian), His Eminence Archbishop Peter of Chicago (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia), His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America, and His Grace Bishop Sava, retired hierarch of Slavonia (Serbian), reports the OCA Diocese of Chicago.

According to the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia, the hierarchs were joined by 40 priests and deacons and more than 500 faithful. The service was sung by the Pan-Orthodox Choir of Greater Chicago.

Archbishop Daniel was invited to give the homily at the service, and he spoke about the unity of the Church.

The following day, Archbishop Daniel also led a retreat for the Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Greater Chicago at the Serbian cathedral, offering a series of talks on the priesthood.

The OCA diocese reports:

The Archbishop taught how Christ’s ministry was the institution of the priesthood and how the priest is to be an icon of Christ. “In the icon of the Mystical Supper, we see St John the Theologian leaning his head on our Savior, and that moment of his leaning his head to the heart of our Lord, it points to the spiritual origin of the priesthood. What are we called to as priests? To lean on the Lord and to rest on Him.”