On Thursday the 8th and Friday the 9th of August, Archimandrite Seraphim (Voepel) and the brethren of Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV joyfully received the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, for celebrations in honor of the monastery’s Heavenly intercessor and protector ‒ the Holy Great-Martyr and Healer Panteleimon.

Metropolitan Nicholas and the monastic fathers were joined by both local and out-of-state clergy and pilgrims for two days of worship, fellowship, and feasting.

On the eve of the feast, His Eminence officiated the hierarchal All-Night Vigil. In one of the high points of the evening service, the hierarch and clergy led the faithful in the thunderous singing of the magnification and akathist to St. Panteleimon.

The following morning, Metropolitan Nicholas celebrated Divine Liturgy, during which he awarded Hieromonk Paisios (Laiblin) the right to wear the gold pectoral cross for his many years of service to the monastery.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were the monastery clergy, joined by: Archpriest John Dixon (rector of Holy Spirit Antiochian Church in Huntington, WV), Archpriest Jonah Campbell (rector of Christ the Savior Church in Wayne), Archpriest Gabriel Weller (rector of Holy Myrrhbearers Church in Harrisonburg, VA), Priest Antony Alekseyenko (spiritual director of the Classic Academy in Chicago), Priest Joseph Hazar (Antiochian Archdiocese), and Priest Jeremiah Davis and Deacon Joshua Duncan (clerics of Christ the Savior Church).

At his homily before the dismissal, the First Hierarch underscored the virtues of gratitude and courage as exemplified in the life of St. Panteleimon. He also asked the monastic fathers and all the faithful to remember the brotherhood of St. Panteleimon’s Monastery on Mount Athos in prayer.

As is the tradition at Holy Cross, a festal moleben was served immediately upon the conclusion of Liturgy, wherein all those were commemorated who had asked the prayers of St. Panteleimon for themselves and their loved ones. These festal molebens continued each morning thereafter for eight days.

The monastery wished to express its special thanks to Subdeacon Michael Jarrouj and Olive Tree Cafe & Catering for a worthy banquet in honor of Saint Panteleimon on the day of the feast. May God reward you!

While at Holy Cross, Metropolitan Nicholas also walked the grounds of the construction site to see all the progress that has been made in the building of the new monastery church, concerning which he expressed his great excitement.

www.holycross.org