Holy Trinity Monastery Marks its Seventy-Fifth Anniversary
Holy Trinity Monastery recently marked the joint celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of its founding and of the name-day of its abbot, His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary.
On Wednesday, August 31, the day commemorating Saints Flor and Laurus, His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus, celebrated the Divine Liturgy accompanied by His Grace, Bishop Agapit of Stuttgart, and many resident and visiting clergy, headed by Archimandrite Flor (class of 1958), the senior member of the monastery brotherhood. Following the service His Eminence held a small reception in his personal office for all who had come to greet him on his feast.
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Archimandrite George (Schaeffer) |
The festivities marking the seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of Holy Trinity Monastery were held over Labor Day weekend. The festive services began on Saturday, September 3, with a procession to the cemetery church and back to meet the monastery's copy of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, following which a moleben with akathist was served to the monastery's heavenly patron, Saint Job of Pochaev, after which the rule of preparation for Holy Communion was read. Following dinner in the monastery refectory the Vigil service with litia and polyeleos was held.
On Sunday, September 4, a festive Divine Liturgy, attended by many hundreds of people, was served by His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus (class of 1958), accompanied by the Most Reverend Archbishops Alypy of Chicago (class of 1958), Mark of Berlin, and Kyrill of San Francisco, and the Reverend Bishops Michael of Boston, Gabriel of Manhattan (class of 1984), and Peter of Cleveland (class of 1971), accompanied by dozens of priests and deacons. A moleben with procession was performed at the completion of the Divine Liturgy, followed by a meal in the monastery refectory for all present and a reception at His Eminence's "skete." The day concluded with Small Compline and a pannikhida (memorial service) for all the reposed brethren of the monastery.
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His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus addresses guests at the festive banquet |
On the following day, Monday, September 5, His Eminence ordained Deacon Daniel Marshall (class of 2005) to the Priesthood for service in the Diocese of Chicago and the Midwest and elevated Igumen George (class of 1980), the monastery steward and one of the monastery's spiritual fathers, to the rank of Archimandrite and Hieromonk John (Berzins) (class of 1985) to the rank of Igumen.
Following the Divine Liturgy a festive banquet was held the Otesaga Hotel-Resort in Cooperstown, NY, during which many tributes to Holy Trinity Monastery and His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus, were delivered, including letters of greeting from His Holiness, Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia, and His Eminence, Archbishop Evgenii of Vereia and Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary, both of which can be read on this website. A report on the anniversary celebration appeared in the September 5, 2005, edition of The New York Times.