On Sunday, February 5, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York led the patronal feast day of Holy New Martyrs & Confessors of Russia Church in Brooklyn, NY.

The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad celebrated Divine Liturgy, co-served by parish rector Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Archpriests Petro Kunitsky (parish cleric), Boris Slootsky (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Diocesan Cathedral in Howell, NJ), and Ioann Chervinsky (cleric of the Diocese of Kursk), Abbot Photius (Oulanov; cleric of Holy Virgin Intercession Church in Glen Cove, NY), Protodeacons Nicholas Lukianov (cleric of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral) and Dionysius Lvov (cleric of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City), and Deacon Petr Utkin (parish cleric).

On this significant day in the yearly life of the parish, Metropolitan Hilarion brought the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God – Protectress of the Russian Diaspora – to the church with him for veneration by the faithful. At the Little Entrance, Fr. Petr Utkin was elevated to the rank of protodeacon for his many years of unimpeachable service to the Holy Church.

A multitude of parishioners and faithful from other New York churches communed from two chalices. Upon completion of the Liturgy, a festal luncheon was organized by the sisterhood, during which a soloist concert was performed by one of the church’s choristers, and a fundraising raffle was held.

Archpriest Alexandre Antchoutine (member of the Diocesan Council, dean of Long Island & the Hudson Valley) also arrived for the luncheon, to offer warm words of congratulation to the rector and parishioners on their patronal feast day.