On Saturday, February 15, the great feast of the Meeting of the Lord, Holy Presentation Church in Stratford, CT, celebrated its patronal feast day. That day, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, arrived to share in the joy of the feast and to celebrate Divine Liturgy.

Early on the morning of the feast, parish rector Archpriest Constantine Semyanko and Deacon Eugene Utnyukhin served the Lesser Blessing of the Water, after which the greeting of His Eminence took place. To the joy and consolation of the faithful, the First Hierarch was accompanied by the wonderworking Hawaiian-Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.

In addition to the above-mentioned clerics, concelebrating with His Eminence at Liturgy were clergy from neighboring parishes: Archpriest Brendan Crowley (rector of St. Nicholas Church in Enfield, CT), Archpriest Dimitri Jakimowicz (rector of St. Nicholas Church in Stratford), Priest Nectarios Yangson (rector of Our Lady of Iveron Church in Honolulu, HI), and Protodeacons Serge Arlievsky (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City) and Victor Ganson (cleric of Holy Epiphany Church in Boston, MA).

At the Little Entrance, Fr. Eugene was awarded the right to wear the double orarion.

The parish choir sang with enthusiasm under the direction of Irina V. Stepanova.

Following the blessing of the candles, Metropolitan Nicholas delivered a sermon, in which he explained that on the feast we too experience an encounter with Christ our Savior, as well as with His Most Pure Mother in her wonderworking myrrh-streaming icon. His Eminence reiterated that such encounters can only occur in the church with Christ, reminding parents the importance of teaching their children God’s love.

For his dedicated service to the Russian Church Abroad and the parish, Reader Andrew Stepanov was awarded a diocesan gramota.

During the meal, the sisters of the parish – the quartet "Women’s Ensemble" ‒ sang several hymns and congratulated Metropolitan Nicholas on his upcoming namesday by singing the Polychronion.