On Friday the 8th and Saturday the 9th of August, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York paid an archpastoral visit to St. Panteleimon Church in Hartford, CT, where he officiated the parish’s patronal feast. On Saturday morning, before Liturgy, parish rector Archpriest Dionisy Nalitov performed the lesser blessing of water. At the entrance to the church, the warden greeted the Metropolitan with bread and salt, thanking him for his prayers and support of the parish.

Concelebrating with His Eminence at Liturgy were: Archpriests Serge Lukianov (dean of New Jersey), Petre Kruashvili (rector of St. Gregory of Khandzta Georgian Church in Manville, NJ), Fr. Dionisy, and Victor Boldewskul (rector of Holy Epiphany Church in Boston, MA), Protodeacon Andrei Psarev (cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY), and Deacon Konstantin Aleshin (cleric of Nativity of the Mother of God Church at the New Kursk Root Hermitage in Mahopac, NY).

The choir sang the service under the direction of Reader John Nalitov.

Numerous parishioners and residents of neighboring states gathered for the church’s patronal feast to honor the memory of the Great Martyr Panteleimon and to venerate the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow," which Metropolitan Nicholas brought from the Cathedral of the Sign in New York City for the consolation of the faithful. Many received Christ’s Holy Mysteries.

Upon conclusion of Liturgy, Metropolitan Nicholas congratulated all with their patronal feast – the day of remembrance of a saint revered throughout the Christian world – the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon and, addressing the faithful, said, in part:

“The Great Martyr Panteleimon gives us an example of how to live. He always helped the suffering free of charge, had compassionate love, and through his prayers people received and continue to receive healing to this day. Following the example of St. Panteleimon, we should endure everything that the Lord gives us in life for our edification and salvation: endure everything with humility, with obedience, with gratitude, love God with all our hearts, firmly profess our faith and help our neighbors.

"But more often we think only about our life, how we might speedily receive earthly blessings. Meanwhile, the Lord wants from us our heart, our repentance, our tenderness, our prayer, our feats. Let us live like this, always having before us the example of the Healer Panteleimon – to endure everything unto the glory of God. And then we will feel the special mercy of God and that Christian joy that can only be found in a life in the Church, when we come to church, pray at home, or travel, visiting other churches. There there is joy in the Lord, joy from above, a sense of goodness and grace. In our church life, within the confines of the Church is the grace of God. But we must take an active part in church life and be an active worker for our parish."

Metropolitan Nicholas recalled the words of the Apostle Paul, addressed to Timothy and to all of us: " Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus " (II Tim. 2:1). He called on those gathered to follow the words of the Apostle Paul and show love and concern for each other.

For many years of work for the benefit of the Holy Church and the parish, Metropolitan Nicholas presented Fr. Dionisy with a jeweled cross, specially commissioned for the centennial of the founding of the Russian Church Abroad.

A procession was then held around the church with the icons of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon and the Mother of God "Joy of all who Sorrow."

The church sisterhood prepared a festal meal, during which the clergy and believers continued their fraternal interaction.