Feasts, Awards and Ordinations in Suzdal
(Suzdal Diocesan Bulletin - Vertograd, Suzdal)On July 20-21, in the Tsar Constantine Cathedral of the Suzdal Diocese of the Russian Orthodox (Autonomous) Church, the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was triumphantly observed with a large group of clergy in attendance. The all-night vigil and Divine Liturgy were served by His Eminence Metropolitan Valentine of Suzdal and Vladimir, His Eminence Archbishop Theodore of Borisov and Otradna, Administrator of the Synod of Bishops, His Eminence Archbishop Anthony of Yaransk and Vyatka, His Grace Bishop Irinarch of Tula and Bryansk, and His Grace Bishop Sebastian of Chelyabinsk. The sermon was delivered by His Eminence Archbishop Theodore.
The feast of the Kazan Icon is one of the most highly revered feasts in Suzdal; people come from many nearby towns and villages to take part in it. This is due to the fact that for many years during the Soviet period (1940-1970) the only church in Suzdal that was open was the Kazan Icon Church across the street from the shopping district (the church is now in the possession of the MP). In 1978, this church was closed and desecrated, and the Orthodox community was given the Tsar Constantine Church to use, which had also been desecrated. For a long time there was an ancient wonder-working copy of the Kazan icon there, which was stolen during a burglary in 2002.
At the services, several members of the catacomb communities belonging to the ROAC were in attendance.
On July 28th, the Orthodox people of Suzdal prayed especially hard while celebrating the feast of the holy Equal of the Apostles Grand Prince Vladimir. The festive service was held in the Tsar Constantine Cathedral. According to tradition, the holy Prince Vladimir, after his baptism, arrived in Suzdal, where he baptized his Suzdal regiment of soldiers in the waters of the Kamenka River. At the site of the baptism, in order to commemorate the event, St. Vladimir, whose baptismal name was Basil, ordered the construction of a monastery in honor of his patron saint, St. Basil the Great.
At noon, His Grace Bishop Irinarch of Tula and Bryansk, served a moleben to St. Vladimir at the St. Vladimir Chapel located in the Znamenny Cemetery in Suzdal. After the moleben, "Many Years" was sung for the Orthodox Episcopate of the persecuted Russian Church, and for Fr. Vladimir Shishkoff and his family. Fr. Vladimir is the rector of the St. Nicholas Parish of the ROAC in the New York area, and was celebrating his nameday that day. It was due to the care and donations of Fr. Vladimir that the chapel in the Znamenny Cemetery was built. In attendance at this moleben were His Eminence Metropolitan Valentine and Archbishop Theodore of Borisov and Sanina.
On Sunday, July 31st, at the Divine Liturgy in the Tsar Constantine Cathedral, His Eminence Metropolitan Valentine ordained a novice of the monastery dedicated to the Holy New Martyrs of Russia in Suzdal, Dimitry Karpenko, to the diaconate. Fr. Dimitry was born in 1985 in the village of Sovetka, in the Neklinovsky region of Rostov province, and from his early childhood had served as an altar boy in the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul located inside the synodal metochion there. In 2003, he became a novice at the Suzdal Monastery of the Holy New Martyrs of Russia, and served as subdeacon for Metropolitan Valentine. He will be serving as deacon in Suzdal.
On August 1st, on the feast of St. Seraphim the Wonderworker of Sarov, His Eminence Metropolitan Valentine of Suzdal and Vladimir served the all-night vigil and Divine Liturgy at the Tsar Constantine Cathedral. During the Liturgy, at the minor entrance, Vladyka Metropolitan awarded the gold pectoral cross to one of the monks of the Monastery of the Holy New Martyrs, Hieromonk Seraphim (Kataev), and wished him a happy nameday. The clergy and people also prayerfully remembered His Eminence Archbishop Seraphim of Sukhumi and Abkhazia, who was away on a pastoral visit to his catacomb communities.
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