On October 1, the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, celebrated Divine Liturgy at the Church of All Saints of the Russian Land in Burlingame, CA, the former summer residence of His Beatitude, the ever-memorable Metropolitan Anastassy (Gribanovsky; +1965).

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco & Western America, Bishops Theodosius of Seattle and James of Sonora (vicars of the Western American Diocese), Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky; head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, longtime parish rector Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko, , and visiting clergy.

Upon conclusion of the service, Metropolitan Nicholas, having addressed those gathered with a primatial sermon, congratulated Fr. Stefan on the 50th anniversary of his pastoral ministry, presented him a Synodal decree awarding him the right to celebrate Divine Liturgy with the Royal Doors open until the exclamation "Holy Things are for the Holy" and a Synodal gramota.

Archbishop Kyrill then presented Fr. Stefan with a greeting and an icon of the Holy Great Martyr & Healer Panteleimon.

The fellowship of the First Hierarch, archpastors, clergy, and numerous pilgrims continued at a festive reception, during which many warm words and speeches were offered to Fr. Stefan and his family.

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