On Friday the 20th and Saturday the 21st of September – the great feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos – His Grace, Bishop Jerome, led the All-Night Vigil and celebrated Divine Liturgy in Nativity of the Mother of God Church at the New Kursk Root Hermitage in Mahopac, NY. Concelebrating with His Grace were Archpriest Dimitri Jakimowicz (rector of St. Nicholas Church in Stratford, CT), parish clergy, and others who came to celebrate the parish’s patronal feast day. There was a luncheon served after Liturgy, and All-Night Vigil for the following day, Sunday, was held earlier, so that many of those who had gathered could attend.

On Sunday morning, September 22, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada arrived to celebrate Divine Liturgy. He was greeted with the peal of bells; concelebrating were Bishop Jerome, Archpriest Alexander Donchenko (rector of St. Nicholas Church in Poughkeepsie, NY), Dionisy Nalitov (rector of St. Panteleimon Church in Hartford, CT), Protodeacons Dimitri Temidis (cleric of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY) and Serge Arlievsky (cleric of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY), and Deacons Alexey Pnev (parish cleric) and Eugene Utnyukhin (cleric of St. Panteleimon Church). Numerous subdeacons and altar servers assisted in the altar, while parishioners from these and other parishes, prayed at the services.

At the Sixth Hour, with the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, Archbishop Gabriel tonsured Alexei G. Temidis a reader.

The whole service was performed splendidly, with beautiful singing by a mixed choir.

Archbishop Gabriel delivered his sermon on the Sunday Gospel of the Wedding Guests, comparing points in that Gospel with much that was related in last week’s Sunday Gospel of the Wicked Vinedressers – explaining what it means to be a Chosen People or flock of the elect.

Parish rector Priest George Temidis had served the Lesser Blessing of Water, and the Liturgy was followed by a moleben and procession around the church, with sprinkling of the holy water both throughout the procession and then on each of the faithful as they came up at the conclusion of the service, after the intoning of the Polychronion.

A luncheon was served after Liturgy, with all manner of delicious Russian foods and sweets, and the faithful stayed and enjoyed interaction with one another well into the late afternoon.

Background

The feast day of the Nativity of the Theotokos is celebrated on September 8/21, which is not understood to be the actual date of the Virgin Mary’s birth, which has not been handed down, the more so as at that time a lunar calendar was in use in Palestine, and its dates coincide with different Julian or Gregorian dates from year to year. Instead, what is celebrated is said to be the anniversary of a church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, consecrated in the 5th century. The feast day of that ancient church spread throughout the Christian world, and is a very appropriate time for other churches of the same dedication to celebrate.