Church events

This year the Transfiguration of our Lord was met with particular joy with the ordination of a new priest.
On August 6/19, in the Parish of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Montreal, His Grace Archbishop Vladimir
served Divine Liturgy during which he ordained Fr. Deacon Sergius Boulter to the rank of Priest. 



Father Sergius was born in Australia, a descendent of the "Chinese wave” of early 20th century
Russian émigrés and a cradle member of ROCOR. He completed seminary at Jordanville in
1983 and was ordained to the Deaconate in 1988. Fr. Sergius will now serve a small flock
in Cleveland Ohio. We wish Fr. Sergius and his Matushka Vera spiritual strength and success in their new path.

In the course of the labors of the southern Russian Diocese, during the feasts of the Holy Royal Martyrs and Grand Duchess Elizabeth and Nun Barbara, Hieromonk Eugene (Pampura) was invited and then traveled to, some villages in the Archangelsk area.

On the 18th of July Fr. Eugene served the Blessing of Water as well as a Pannikhida  (memorial service for the reposed) for the repose of the souls of General-Lieutenant E.K. Millar, commander of the Northern Volunteer Forces, and the serviceman Alexei Kozlov who was murdered by the Bolsheviks and all those who fought in the Northern Resistance Army for the Truth and Homeland while greatly outnumbered by anti- Christian forces.

Later that day, Fr. Alexei blessed the grounds, where, by the efforts of the local people, the building  of a Church dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is planned.

On July 13 of this year, with the blessing of Bishop Victor of Paris and Western Europe there was a ceremony at the Smolensk cemetery in St. Petersburg. The service was the blessing of a plaque and Cross at the gravesite of the Cadets of Vladimir Academy.

What is the significance of this? This is a reminder to all Russian youth who fervently love their homeland. This is a reminder to the Russian people who in the first days of the October Revolution, stepped in to fight the godless Communists. The words on the plaque attest to this: "Here lie the cadets of the Vladimir Academy, the first to go forward in defense of their Homeland against the Communists."

The blessing was served by Hieromonk Gerasim (Shironosov), Rector of the St. Ginnadi, Archbishop of Novgorod Parish. In attendance were some 30 faithful from ROCOR as well as other local Churches.

 

Your Grace! With tearful prayer, I request you publish my letter. Previously I labored in the Orthodox Church, but currently have fallen to despair and desired to succumb to my own hand.

 

I have a Group Two long term disability. I was brought up in an orphanage. My health rapidly deteriorated due to organic complex brain disorder with moderate mental impairment. I also have psycho-organic and affective disorders.  My associated conditions are hydrocephalous, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and angina. I also have stones in the bile duct, chronic inflammation of the gall bladder and chronic inflammation of the prostate.

 

In addition I currently need to undergo two operations. For this reason I ask you, perhaps in this desolate world, there will be some kind people? Who will advise me how to proceed with life? And to whom I have any value? Publish my heart's cry. May God preserve you!

Last Sunday, (18 July ns) on the Feast of St Sergius of Rodonezh the efforts of the children's camp at the Transfiguration Skete came to completion. The camp spanned two weeks, and was open to children of ROCA as well as others by invitation. A total of 42 children attended, largely from Montreal, but also from Toronto, Edmonton, Sherbrooke, Gatineau and even Moscow.

Each day began with morning prayer and ended with evening prayers. The focal point of camp life was the Church. While the children hiked in the forest, swam, played games and enjoyed singing and crafts - they also attended class in "the Law of God" each day with the exception of days when the Divine Liturgy was served. For these studies, the children were divided into three groups, based on age. Among the children were those who had attended such schooling before, had regularly Communed and can be described as "churched." There was also a representation of children who knew little of our Orthodox faith. Studies were conducted on a rotation by Frs. Kyrill Bartesovitch , Igor Grichinin and deacon Alexei Fimine.

During the camp, the Clergy served several vigils and Divine Liturgy. Nearly all participants received Communion. This was the first time for receiving the Divine Mysteries for several at the camp. Several boys were introduced to assisting in the Altar as altar-boys.

The feast of All Saints was met this year with a particular joy. During the Divine Liturgy, the deacon of our Montreal parish, Father Igor Gritsishin was ordained to the Priesthood by His Grace Archbishop Vladimir. This Ordination has been long anticipated, especially within the parish of St. Seraphim in Montreal, where for the past several years the spiritual needs of a large flock fell solely on the shoulders of Father Andrew Lomov. Of course the joy of this event is not just for the Montreal parish, but for the entire Church. In our spiritually scant times, when sincere service to the Church is not viewed as bringing worldly benefit, finding a worthy candidate willing to offer of himself for the salvation of his brethren is difficult. For this reason we feel particular joy over this ordination.

Father Igor was born in the Russian village of Khmelnitsky. From the first years of their life in Montreal, he and his future Matushka, Helen, attended the ROCOR Church and were spiritually fed by His Beatitude the now reposed Metropolitan Vitaly+.  In recent years our Lord especially touched the heart of the future Father Igor, who began taking on church obedience and in the course of two years was elevated through the ranks to the Priesthood.