On Tuesday the 7th and Wednesday the 8th of March, the feast of the Holy Hieromartyr Polycarp of Smyrna, His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, paid an archpastoral visit to St. Polycarp Church in Sanford, ME, in honor of the parish’s patronal feast.

On Tuesday evening, Archpriest Michael Crowley (dean of New England) celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, co-served by parish rector Priest Photius Zelinski. The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad prayed in the altar and communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries, as did Archpriest Spyridon Schneider (rector of St. John the Russian Church in Ipswich, MA) and Protodeacon Paul Giatas (cleric of St. Nicholas Church in Stratford, CT).

The parish choir sang the divine services in a beautiful Byzantine chant.

Upon conclusion of Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas delivered a sermon to the gathered faithful, whom he greeted on the occasion of their patronal feast. He then presented the parish with a copy of the Smolensk Mother of God, which had belonged to the ever-memorable Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral).

After the service, a Lenten supper was served in the parish hall.