On Wednesday, May 14, the feast of Mid-Pentecost as well as that of the icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy," with the blessing of Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada paid an archpastoral visit to the eponymous church in Staten Island, NY, and celebrated Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the parish’s vernal patronal feast.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Archpriests Alexandre Antchoutine (dean of New York City), Vasily Zelenyuk (parish rector), George Zelenin (rector of St. Michael Church in Wayne, NJ), and Igor Vyzhanov (rector of St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York City), Abbot Arseny (Manko; rector of Holy Resurrection Church in Winnipeg, MB), Priest Nicholas Gulin (rector of Life-Giving Spring Icon of the Theotokos OCA Mission in Philadelphia, PA) and Deacon Alexis Golubov (cleric of St. Nicholas Cathedral).

The clergy served a short moleben before the festal icon.

Fr. Vasily thanked Archbishop Gabriel and the clergy for their joint prayers at the patronal feast, as well as for their recent support after the repose of his father, Archpriest Ioann Zelenyuk.

On April 29, Fr. Ioann Zelenyuk reposed in Ukraine. On Thursday, May 1, clergy from the deanery gathered at Holy New Martyrs & Confessors of Russia Church in Brooklyn to serve a memorial litia for the newly departed Fr. Ioann, served by Archimandrite Gabriel (Pigarev; parish dean) and Protodeacon Eugene Kallaur (cleric of St. Seraphim Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY). Also in prayerful attendance were Frs. Alexandre Antchoutine, Igor Vyzhanov, Arseny (Manko), and Archpriest George Temidis (secretary of the diocesan administration).

The sisterhood of the church then prepared a delicious festal meal for all, during which the cordial interaction between the clergy and the faithful continued.

The parish has opened a page on GoFoundMe to raise funds for the purchase of a building for the church and spiritual center in Staten Island.