On the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost 2026, the parish of the Holy Trinity (the Crypte) celebrated in advance the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and had the great joy of a pastoral visit from our Metropolitan, Vladyka John, who came to show his pastoral care. Vladyka John was welcomed by the rector of the Crypte, Father Boris, as well as by Father Basil, head of the Moldovan community of the Annunciation, Protodeacon Joseph of the Crypte and Deacon Veaceslav Batiuchka of the Moldovan community, in the presence of many faithful who had come for this great occasion.
At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy the Archbishop tonsured Adrien, one of the young choristers of the Crypte, as a reader. Axios! Axios! Axios!
It is a great blessing for the faithful to live these precious moments: the visit of their beloved Metropolitan and the commitment of one of their young choristers to the service of the Church.
Vladyka John gave the homily on the Gospel of the day (Mt 8:5–13), the faith of the Roman centurion. He called on us to follow the example of the centurion, as well as of that multitude of apostles and that cloud of witnesses who, with Faith, glorified the love of God. Faith brings us into Salvation and saves us.
At the end of the Liturgy, Vladyka John thanked Father Boris and Father Basil for the many works of embellishment and restoration undertaken at the Crypte.
Vladyka John also warmly thanked Reader Ivan and the whole Choir, who carried our prayers, and the new reader Adrien received as a gift a set of liturgical books.
As a token of our filial affection, Father Boris offered Vladyka John, on behalf of the clergy and faithful of the Crypte, a magnificent bouquet of white flowers.
All then gathered for a festive coffee hour in the St Maria of Paris parish hall of the Cathedral of St Alexander Nevsky.
Thank you once again to Vladyka John for his pastoral visit, which will remain in the hearts of all the participants. Happy feast day to all who bear the names of the holy apostles Peter and Paul! Mnogaya leta! Многая Лета!
