|
|||||
|
Visit of His Eminence Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston and Toronto
Visit of Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston and Toronto,
and his Grace Bishop John of Woodside,
on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
June 1 to June 3, 2024
Dear and Faithful Orthodox Christians,
We were blessed with the visit of our Metropolitan Gregory and his Grace Bishop John of Woodside from Saturday June 1st to Monday June 3rd, 2024. The Metropolitan’s time with us at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral was part of a larger programme during which he is visiting, serving, and gathering with the faithful at the Churches of the Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto including: St Seraphim Mission Parish (Toronto), St Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral (Toronto), the Church of St Andrew the Apostle (Saskatoon), the Church of Sts Peter and Paul (Ispas, Alberta), and the Church of the Mother of God, Keeper of the Portal (Calgary).
At Saint Nicholas the Saturday Vigil was held, and then on Sunday June 2, 2024, the Hierarchical Liturgy Concelebration with Metropolitan Gregory of Boston and Toronto, together with his Grace Bishop John of Woodside, Father Sergey of St. Seraphim Parish, and Father Anthony and Father Protodeacon George of St Nicholas. It was a full day and evening on Sunday! After the sacred Liturgy on Sunday morning, we joined together in fellowship, sharing a meal and then hearing spiritual insights from our Metropolitan and Bishop John on the many questions that parishioners had submitted. There were so many great questions that we couldn’t finish them all!
Great Vespers for Saints Constantine and Helen followed the Q & A as we began our commemoratoin of these two great Saints of the Church. And then on Monday, we served the Liturgy with Metropolitan Gregory presiding and enjoyed a wonderful luncheon together afterwards.
Our Metropolitan reminded us in his Sunday sermon that as Orthodox Christians we must never be complacent, but to thirst for Christ! He said,
‘In this great mystery of which all of us are members and parts, that is, that we of all peoples, unworthy, sinful though we are….we have been given this marvelous opportunity to be true worshippers of God, in Spirit and in Truth, to be members of Christ’s body, to have received holy Baptism, of being clothed over by Christ Himself, of having the opportunity to receive the Body and Blood of Our Saviour.’
With thanksgiving to God for all these blessings, let each of us offer a prayer of ‘Many Years!,’ for our steadfast and faithful Hierarchs Gregory and John!
With prayers,
Father Anthony
Most holy Saint Nicholas, intercede in our behalf!
In Memorium – the Ever-memorable Andrew, Metropolitan of Toronto
The Ever-memorable Andrew, Metropolitan of Toronto
+ June 6, 2021
Our beloved Andrew, Metropolitan of Toronto, served Our Saviour in our holy Church for so many years, having come to the Orthodox Faith at the age of 20, then studying at Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, and being tonsured a monk at Holy Transfiguration Monastery at the age of 25, he was a man of Liturgy and a man of prayer.
He was consecrated Bishop in March 2013 and made his new home in Toronto serving at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral and the Parishes of the Metropolis of Toronto. In 2019 he was raised to be the Metropolitan of Toronto and to lead the Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto; he did so with discernment, strictness of faith, and compassionate love. We can only marvel at his deep knowledge of the Scriptures, Orthodox Church history, the Canons, the Typikon, and his great reverence for the Saints of God.
A Memorial Service was held for him on Saturday June 1st, with his Eminence Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston and Toronto presiding, together with Bishop John of Woodside, Protopresbyter Anthony and Protodeacon George of Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and Father Sergey of Saint Seraphim Parish. A memorial was also held at Saint Nicholas Cathedral today, the day of his repose.
In matters of the Faith, our dear Metropolitan Andrew, was resolute, firm and insightful, in matters of the heart he was gentle and compassionate.
As we offer our prayers to God on the third year anniversary of his repose, we ask Our Saviour to number him among the Just and give him rest in the bosom of Abraham!
We miss you dearly Vladyka Andrew!
Memorial for Metropolitan Andrew – Saturday May 19/June 1 2024
Eternal be his memory!
Father Anthony