EASTERN AMERICAN DIOCESE: 9 June 2023
The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad celebrates Pentecost in North Carolina and Holy Trinity Monastery

On Saturday and Sunday, 3-4 June, 2023, the great feast of Holy Pentecost, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York officiated the hierarchical divine services in honor of the patronal feast of Holy Trinity Church in Mebane, NC.

Joining the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia at all-night vigil were Archpriest Mark Tyson (Rector of St Thomas Mission in Tobaccoville, NC), Priest Peter Markevich (parish cleric), Protodeacon Dimitri Temidis (diocesan cleric), and Deacon Pavel Roudenko (cleric of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA). On Sunday morning, the above-mentioned clergy were joined at Divine Liturgy by Deacon Ivan Makarow (cleric of the Reigning Mother of God Church in Charlotte, NC) and Deacon Daniel Brown (cleric of St Thomas Mission).

The services were sung majestically under the careful direction of Reader Andrew Semyanko.

During the reading of the sixth hour, Nathaniel Tyson and Olaf Mullins of St Thomas Mission were tonsured readers. During the little entrance, Fr Peter Markevich was awarded the right to wear the nabedrennik.

Nearly everyone present joyfully partook of Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon conclusion of Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas preached on the importance of prayer and living a life proper to an Orthodox Christian, which will draw others to the Church as the Holy Spirit drew together humanity at His Descent on Pentecost. Following this brief exhortation, Metropolitan Nicholas celebrated great vespers with the appointed “kneeling prayers.”

After vespers, a directive was read appointing Fr Peter as parish rector. In commemoration of his visit, Metropolitan Nicholas also presented the parish with an icon of the St Cyril, Enlightener of the Slavs and Equal-of-the-Apostles, which had belonged to Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of blessed memory.

Metropolitan Nicholas spoke on the importance of the parish supporting the priest and his matushka and family, making them aware of the many trials and temptations of clerical life and the importance of supporting the clergy as the source of the local spiritual life.

After the services, the parish sisterhood offered a bountiful meal for all in attendance. Metropolitan Nicholas spoke of the importance of this feast day, and called to mind that we should remember in prayer the other churches named in honor of the Holy Trinity who share this feast day, especially Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY.

Parishioners and visitors from surrounding churches were able to enjoy an afternoon of fellowship on the parish grounds, basking in the combined warmth of the North Carolina summer and of the joyous hierarchical services.

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