On Sunday, October 25, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York led the joint Divine Liturgy of the parishes of the Carolinas in Cheraw State Park. Twenty years ago, Archpriest Anastasy Yatrelis (rector of Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church in Summerville, SC) began to visit North Carolina and perform the divine services on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. On one of these visits, it was decided to annually celebrate a joint Divine Liturgy in Cheraw Park, which lies on the border between the two states.

This year, the Liturgy was a special one – not only was it the tradition’s 20th anniversary, but for the first time, the Liturgy was served hierarchally. His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, was co-served by Fr. Anastasy, Archpriest Onouphry Keith (former rector of St. Nicholas Church in Fletcher, NC), Archpriest Alexander Logunov (rector of Reigning Mother of God Church in Charlotte, NC), Priest Alexander Stepanenko (cleric of the same), Hieromonk Gabriel (Kvasnikov; rector of Holy Trinity Church in Mebane, NC), Deacons Daniel Gregoire (cleric of Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church), Dionysius Lvov (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City, accompanying the Metropolitan), and Ioann Makarov (cleric of Reigning Mother of God Church).

In accordance with yearly tradition, the divine services were sung by a mixed choir from the parishes, in Slavonic, English, and Greek. In attendance at Liturgy were parishioners who attended the first service 20 years prior.

Upon completion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Hilarion addressed the faithful with a sermon, in which he reminded them of the importance of love and patience in our complicated times. The traditional general photo of clergy and parishioners was taken with their archpastor, after which the picturesque lake served as a backdrop for a picnic luncheon prepared by the parishioners of Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church.