Dear and Faithful Orthodox Christians,
Last Sunday God blessed us to celebrate the Feast of the holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council together with our beloved Metropolitan Gregory the locum tenens of the Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto. The Hierarchical Liturgy including concelebrants Father Protopresbyter Anthony, Father Sergei, and Father Protodeacon George and the occasion was made especially joyous as the Servants of God, Justinian and Gabriel were blessed to be Taper Bearers and to serve in the Sanctuary. The Metropolitan’s Sermon included an explanation of the type of the First Council seen in the calling of the 318 men who came together at the call of Abraham to recover his brother Lot. And that we today, hold the Faith of the 318 Fathers of the First Council of Nicea, the Orthodox Faith, the Faith which has established the whole world! All the faithful came together for after Liturgy for a luncheon with the Metropolitan, and were edified by his spiritual insights during a Question and Answer discussion after the lunch.
Metropolitan Gregory, having served at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral on Sunday May 28, and the Saint Seraphim of Sarov Russian Parish in Toronto, will now continue his pastoral visits to the other Parishes of the Metropolis of Toronto and join the faithful at the Churches in Calgary, Ispas Alberta, and Saskatoon later in June.
And now as we come to the celebration of Pentecost, hear the wonder that Saint Luke records in the Acts of the Apostles:
‘When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place… And there
appeared unto them cloven tongues like unto fire and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance…. Now when this sound came about, the multitude came together and were confounded, because each and every man heard them speak in his own language… we do hear them speak in our tongue the great works of God.’
As we come to the celebrate Pentecost, let us all approach the day with anticipation and with joy, asking Our Saviour to bless our Holy Church, our Hierarchs, and to fortify and enlighten us all with the grace of the Holy Spirit, the heavenly King, and Comforter. Amen.
Father Anthony