On this Sunday of the Forefathers, we had the joy of a pastoral visit from our Metropolitan John, who came to show us his pastoral care. For this great occasion, many clergy were present to welcome Metropolitan John: our rector Father Boris, Father Amfian, rector of the parish of St Martin the Merciful in Tours, Father Basil, head of the Moldovan community of the Annunciation, Hieromonk Gerasim of the Skete of St Foy, Father Mark, our protodeacon Joseph, Protodeacon Nicolas Rehbinder of the Diocese of Chersonesus, Deacon Veaceslav of the Moldovan community, and Hierodeacon Joseph of the Skete of St Foy. The congregation consisted of a great number of faithful, but also of the families and friends of those who were to be tonsured or ordained.
After the vesting of our Metropolitan, our altar server Gabriel and our choir member Daniel were tonsured readers. Then Metropolitan John ordained Reader Georges, of a Ukrainian parish in Canada, to the subdiaconate. Next, Hieromonk Gerasim was raised to the rank of archimandrite in recognition of his great fidelity and his fervent and exemplary faith, as attested by his numerous works. During the Divine Liturgy, Deacon Veaceslav received the blessing and the right to wear the double orarion, and Hierodeacon Joseph of the Skete of St Foy was ordained to the priesthood. Axios! Axios! Axios!
It is a great blessing for us to have lived these precious moments, in which, in particular, two young men committed themselves to the service of the Church. Glory to God for all things!
Metropolitan John gave the homily on the Gospel of the day (Mt 1:1-25). Christ became incarnate within a Davidic genealogy; this long genealogy thus shows that Christ is neither an angel nor a bodiless being, and St Matthew emphasizes that He is indeed the sign that was to appear in a divine time: a long-hoped-for expectation in the history of the chosen people. This presence of God is manifested in the so intimate scene of the Nativity “ Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us.”
The Lord espoused human flesh through the mystery of Mary, who conceives by the Holy Spirit, and God manifested Himself in a stable as a sign of humility. Let us also prepare to welcome this presence of the incarnate Christ. May our hearts be like the humble stable that received our Lord, so that this feast of the Nativity may be the true feast of dialogue with God, who loves us and does not abandon us.
At the end of the Liturgy, Metropolitan John thanked Father Boris and Father Basil for the many works of embellishment and restoration undertaken in the Crypt, reminding us to be generous, for our iconostasis, a very beautiful historic piece, must be restored.
Metropolitan John also warmly thanked Ivan and the whole Choir, who carried our prayers.
As a sign of our filial affection, Father Boris presented Metropolitan John, in the name of the clergy and faithful of the Crypt, with a magnificent bouquet of white flowers.
We then all gathered for a festive coffee in the fellowship hall of the Archdiocese.
On this Sunday of the Forefathers, or of the Genealogy, may the memory of the holy Ancestors of the Lord gladden us! Let us walk in the footsteps of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as a holy people, in Peace and in Joy, toward the light of the Nativity of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ!
Thank you once again to Metropolitan John for his pastoral visit, which will remain in the hearts of all the participants.
