Framingham, MA: Metropolitan Hilarion Celebrated the Divine Liturgy in St. John the Wonderworker Church

October 3, 2012

On Friday, September 28, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, paid an archpastoral visit to St. John the Wonderworker Church in Framingham, a western suburb of Boston, MA. To the peal of bells, His Eminence was greeted by the rector, Archpriest Yaroslav Belikow, and Deacon Alexander Kurenkov. The choir, under the direction of Olga France, sang gracefully, giving the evening service a deeper feeling of prayer.

The clergy, led by Metropolitan Hilarion, sang the magnification to the holy martyrs Victor and Ludmila, after which the worshipers came receive a blessing from the First Hierarch and be anointed with holy oil.

On Saturday the 29th, girls greeted Metropolitan Hilarion with flowers, and children threw flower petals under his feet on his way to church.

The parish warden, Michael Byrnes, met the Metropolitan according to the ancient Russian tradition with bread and salt, thanking him for the long journey undertaken by His Eminence to visit the humble parish. Deacon Alexander Doohovskoy (cleric of St. Xenia Church in Methuen, MA) came to concelebrate the feast. In his sermon, Metropolitan Hilarion emphasized the saving significance of the Cross, and called all believers to humbly follow the commandments of the Lord.

After the service, everybody joined a procession headed for the entry of the parish estate, to a cross erected by Nikolai Lukianov in memory of his father, Archpriest Roman Lukianov. Many of parishioners fondly remember Fr. Roman, who brought them to Christ. Metropolitan Hilarion blessed the cross, and then all of the faithful prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed Archpriest Roman.

After the Liturgy, the parish sisterhood, led by the head sister, Olga Galperina, welcomed all to a festal luncheon in honor of the distinguished guest.