The Church of Blessed Matrona of Moscow in Dania Beach, FL, has turned five years old. Its history began in 2011, when on December 25, the first divine service was performed on the day that the still small church in Hallandale (near Miami) opened its doors. Over the following years, a great deal of work was done, the result of which was the consecration on December 25, 2015 of the largest Russian Orthodox Church in Florida. Much work remains to be done, but it can doubtless be said that today St. Matrona Church is a true spiritual center of the state.

Sunday, December 25, marked the beginning of the archpastoral visit of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, who celebrated Divine Liturgy in St. Matrona Church. His Eminence was co-served by:

- Archimandrite Alexander (Belya; parish rector)
- Archpriest Roman Baranovsky (Diocese of Kiev UOC)
- Archpriest Sergiu Prisacaru (Orthodox Church of Moldova)
- Archpriest Lazar Kostur (Serbian Orthodox Church)
- Priest Michael Lunev (Diocese of Australia ROCOR)
- Priest Gregorio Justiniano (rector of San Juan Climaco Mission in Puerto Rico)
- Deacon Rostislav Zadorozhny (cleric of St. John the Forerunner Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY)
- Deacon Michael Criscella (cleric of St. Vladimir Church in Miami, FL).

At the Little Entrance, the First Hierarch elevated Fr. Gregorio to the rank of archpriest.

During the service, Metropolitan Hilarion ordained Reader Seraphim Justiniano a subdeacon and deacon. Fr. Seraphim will help his father, Fr. Gregorio, in their missionary community in Puerto Rico.

Upon completion of the service, the Metropolitan blessed two domes and their crosses, as well as several icons for the church. They include: the Holy Prophet Elijah, the Holy Great-Martyr & Wonderworker George, the Holy Martyr Tatiana and Holy Hierarch Raphael of Brooklyn, all specially painted for the church; an icon of the Mother of God "Queen of All" (Pantanassa), brought from Mt. Athos; and of the Holy Hierarch John of Shanghai & San Francisco, gifted to the parish.

Addressing the rector, clergy, parishioners, and guests, the Archpastor recalled the humble size of the original St. Matrona Church in Miami five years prior, and noted how large and filled with people it is today. The First Hierarch completed his comments by reading aloud a directive, by which the largest Russian church in Florida was now designated a cathedral on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of its founding.

Metropolitan Hilarion then congratulated the cathedral rector, Archimandrite Alexander, on this first milestone in the life of the church, lauding the labors he had undertaken over the past five years. The First Hierarch noted that Fr. Alexander, in addition to keeping his own rigorous prayer rule, had also introduced in the church the reading of the "Sleepless" or Continual Psalter, which by an invisible spiritual thread connects America with the Holy Land. In addition to this, with the blessing of Patriarch Kyrill, Metropolitan Hilarion awarded Fr. Alexander the Russian Orthodox Church’s Order of St. Innocent of Moscow, 3rd Class, for his missionary work in Florida. The same award was presented to the parish’s founder and warden, Ivan Belya, for his labors in the flourishing of St. Matrona Cathedral.

The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad further bestowed ecclesiastical awards on those who had particularly labored for the benefit of the Miami cathedral and the Orthodox Church as a whole.

Archpriest Roman Baranovsky – chaplain of the Sisterhood of St. Elizabeth in Kiev & the Holy City of Jerusalem – was awarded the Order of St. Raphael of Brooklyn, 2nd Class. It was with his support that the reading of the Continuous Psalter in Florida was made possible. His Eminence underscored that St. Matrona’s Cathedral is the only place in America where these very powerful prayer are offered up unceasingly.

In honor of the church’s fifth anniversary, Archpriest Sergiu Prisacaru was also presented the same award, for helping the cathedral from the time of its founding.

Orders were also bestowed upon Eugene Ponomarenko and Tatiana Varzar for helping the church.

Many others who labored on behalf of the church – the architect, several builders, lawyers, singers, and volunteers were presented gramotas by the Archpastor.

One guest praying at the service that day was the secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District in Moscow, Archimandrite Hilarion (Morozov), who presented a copy of the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God as a gift from the Patriarch Metochion.

The Metropolitan, clergy, sisters of mercy, and parishioners all congratulated Fr. Alexander on the feast of his Heavenly intercessor – the Holy Hierarch Alexander of Jerusalem – whose memory was celebrated that day. The Archpastor also congratulated Deacon Seraphim on his ordination, and greeted all of the faithful with the feast day of Venerable Herman of Alaska, intercessor for America, and the Holy Hierarch Spyridon of Tremithus.

Fr. Alexander, in turn, offered special greetings to Fr. Gregorio from the missionary community in Puerto Rico. With the rector’s blessing, all of the donations collected in the cathedral that day were donated as benevolent aid to the Puerto Rican Mission. Fr. Alexander noted that St. Matrona Cathedral endeavors whenever possible to help other churches.

On his own behalf, Metropolitan Hilarion presented the cathedral parish with a sewn icon of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, which had been given to him by the nuns of Diveevo Convent on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Moscow Patriarchate. Thus His Eminence conferred this blessing upon all of the faithful.

Source: www.stmatrona.com.