News
The feast of Our Lady of Smolensk Russian Orthodox Church in Jackson’s Point, Ontario (Berezki)
10 August 2013
On Saturday, August 3, 2013 at the Our Lady of Smolensk Russian Orthodox Church in Jackson’s Point, Ontario (Berezki), the Annual Feast was celebrated. 2013 marks the fifty-sixth year of the parish. The All-Night Vigil and the Divine Liturgy were presided by Archbishop GABRIEL of Montreal & Canada; with Archpriest Michael Orlov, the parish rector; priest Viatcheslav Davidenko from Toronto; Protodeacon Wasili Melonov from Ottawa; Deacon Boris Bakhvalov from Toronto; subdeacons and readers from within the Greater Toronto Area.
On Sunday, during the reading of the sixth hour, after Psalm 90, Reader Walter Gitow, Jr. was blessed to wear an orar. In addition, Dimitri Matveev, the Church Warden’s assistant, was tonsured a reader. After the Divine Liturgy, there was a moleben followed by a procession around the Church. The Church was full, the parishioners well dressed, the candle stands full, joyful faces everywhere and the choir, led by Reader George Skok, boldly singing “Eis Polla Eti.”
During the trapeza, Archbishop Gabriel welcomed dignitaries from the local, provincial and federal levels of governments that always attend this annual event. A concert of poems and songs were presented by the youth after the delicious meal served by the Sisterhood of the parish. As always, the meal was served warm to over three hundred persons.
The parish is always welcoming new visitors to become parish members and are strongly encouraged to volunteer their time and resources to assist positive growth within the parish. The clergy and parishioners thank all the volunteers for their assistance in making the fifty-sixth Anniversary, a truly remarkable event.
