On Saturday, July 24, the day of the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles and Grand
Princess of Russia Olga, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church
Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New
York, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the lower Holy
Virgin Protection Church of St. Vladimir Memorial Church in
Jackson, NJ. His Eminence was co-served by mission rector Archpriest
Philip Petrovsky, Archpriest Paul Volmensky (rector of Holy Ascension
Church in Sacramento, CA), Priest Serge Ledkovsky (deputy rector of
St. Vladimir Memorial Church), Protodeacon Nicholas Mokhoff (cleric of
the Synodal Cathedral), and Deacon Anatoly Revitskyy. Also praying in
church were Eastern American Diocesan Vicar Bishop, His Grace George
of Mayfield, and Hieromonk Alexander (Frizzell; resident of Holy Cross
Monastery). After the Eucharist, Metropolitan Hilarion ordained
longtime English Mission parishioner Subdeacon Alexander Smida to the
diaconate.
In his sermon upon completion of the Liturgy, Vladyka told of the life of
St. Olga, underscoring her vital role in the conversion of the Russian
people to Holy Orthodoxy. After the sermon, a moleben was served
before the icon of St. Olga, after which a litiy was served at the
tomb of Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko), located on the right side of
the church. Archbishop Vitaly, the founder of the Memorial Church,
reposed March 21, 1960, 50 years ago. In greeting the First Hierarch,
English Mission rector Fr. Philip thanked Vladyka for his archpastoral
visit and his zealous prayer, which filled this historic church. The
newly ordained Deacon Alexander then greeted Vladyka and noted that on
this very day in 1938, the first Divine Liturgy was served in the open
air at the walls of the church, then still under construction.
